


A Certain Psientific Phenomenon

by your_trapness



Category: Persona 5, Persona 5 Royal, Persona Series
Genre: Age gap relationship, Attachment Trauma, Coping with Mental Health Issues, Developing Relationship, M/M, Post-Canon, Power Play, Recovery, Safe Sane and Consensual, Takuto is a Soft Dom, dealing with past relationships, semi-canonical
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-18
Updated: 2021-02-02
Packaged: 2021-03-04 22:35:41
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 9
Words: 23,081
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25354099
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/your_trapness/pseuds/your_trapness
Summary: A man in his late 20s made it his personal mission to make a world a better place. After a series of traumatic and financial hardships, he was emotionally drained and was in desperate need of motivation. His life began to gradually improve when he met the brilliant and mature young man named Akira, who helped broaden his perception of the human condition, and how to best serve humanity. Their deep conversations and admiration for each other have increasingly grown into something more intimate, inevitably fostering a budding romantic relationship. While love can bring so much happiness in one's life, it can also bring so much heartbreak. These two will help each other navigate the world, and most importantly, themselves.
Relationships: Kurusu Akira/Maruki Takuto
Comments: 21
Kudos: 56





	1. Assorted Nyan Nyan’s

**Author's Note:**

> What I hope to achieve in this fanfic is to flesh out the character’s development backstories. Therefore, I wanted to make a greater emphasis on their emotional growth. The action in this fic will take a back seat, although they will be included to give context to the story.

It has been a little over a week since Kamoshida confessed to his horrific misuse of authority, involving the ongoing physical and sexual abuse of students. Had the Phantom Thieves failed to steal Kamoshida’s treasure, the victims would have not gotten the courage to come forward about their abuse. Victims were silenced by an administration more concerned about their “prestigious” reputation than the well-being of their students. Various Tokyo media outlets have already caught wind of the Shujin Academy’s scandal, bringing light on the prolonged emotional toll of the students, as well as the staff’s failure to intervene, being complicit to Kamoshida’s abuse by turning a blind eye from the very start. 

_Sigh._

Sensationalized as it may be, overexposure is probably a better alternative than deliberately covering up something that almost cost someone’s life. Akira finally has a group of friends who cares about him just as much as he cares about them. He would gladly continue being the Phantom Thieves’ leader if it meant bringing justice for people who have been denied a voice, just like his friends. Still, something was gnawing on Akira’s mind ever since that confrontation he and Ryuji had by the elevator yesterday. 

_Who was that man? His voice sounded very familiar. I could just be overthinking it... But why does it bother me so much?_

“Hey, um, sir, I’m sorry for bothering you, but do you mind if I could sit here?” 

Akira tried his best to contain being startled when his daydreaming was suddenly interrupted by a warm, gentle voice and an even warmer hand lightly touching his shoulder. Usually, people leave Akira alone, and he could reliably get a booth to himself whenever he eats at the Shibuya Diner. He looked up to see who it was, only to be immediately drawn towards these inviting brown eyes, belonging to this bespectacled man that can only be adequately described as “unconventionally attractive,” and “adorkable.” 

“Cute,” Akira said while thinking out loud. 

“Cute?” The adorkable man looked around, curious to see what this young man was talking about.

“Oh, do you mean my Nyan Nyan's?” The adorkable man innocently held a ziplock bag full of assorted colored cookies in the shape of a cat.

“Y-yes. They are cute. Very cute, haha.” 

“Right? They’re matcha and cocoa filled, you can have some if you would like!”

“No, no, it’s okay! Sorry I didn’t answer you earlier. You can take a seat, no one is sitting there. Plus, I can see you have been having a rough time…”

The cookie enthusiast was completely drenched from the top-down, it looked like he was about to crumble in more ways than one. His glasses were all fogged up, his khaki pants from his calves down were reminiscent of a paper bag getting wet from a water bottle with a loose cap, and his blue oxford button-up shirt was practically made translucent. Akira can’t help but notice the contours of his chest and collarbones. 

“Really?! Thank you so much! And yeah… I get lost in my thoughts very frequently, it has often gotten me in trouble, like today! I walked right out of the door, and of course, of all days to forget the umbrella, there has to be torrential rainfall…” 

“Aww, you shouldn’t beat yourself up too hard. I think the rain has done that plenty for you already.” Akira teased, relaxing his chin on the palm of his hand.

“Hahah, you’re right! Before I order something, I should probably dry up in the bathroom. Excuse me for one moment.

“That’s fine! I will watch your seat for you.” 

“Ah, I can’t thank you enough. Here, you can have it. I have way too many at home, anyway haha.” He pushed the ziplock bag towards Akira’s side of the booth.

“No, it’s—.”

“Oof, sorry. Now I definitely should use the bathroom.”

Before Akira could say anything, the man was already on his way to the bathroom, seemingly agitated, trying to “hold it in.”

“He’s a rather strange man, isn’t he Akira,” Morgana straightforwardly stated. 

Akira looked at Morgana and gave him a half-smile, rummaging through his bag to search for his wallet.

“Why would anyone find eating cookies shaped like an animal, cute? I think it’s weird imagining eating one of those Nyan Nyan’s, or whatever it’s called.”

“Are you sure it isn’t because you’re a cat?”

“N-no! I’m NOT a cat! Besides, it would be weird eating a cookie shaped like a dog, like it would if it were shaped like a cat, or a frog.”

“What about fish-shaped cookies?”

“Wait, there are fish-shaped cookies?!” The Tuxedo Cat looked up with eagerness.

“Shhh, stay quiet! Pets aren’t exactly allowed here!”

“Hold on! Who are you callin—.”

Akira swiftly zipped up the Morgana Bag before the waitress arrived. Akira felt bad, but it would be worse if he was caught having a full-blown conversation with a cat. Pretending Morgana is a stuffed animal probably wouldn’t work on a grown adult.

“Hi! How may I take your order?” 

“Sorry, I’m not really sure yet.” 

“Well, there is a limited-time offer this week only commemorating our store's opening! We made our frui-teas of any choice refillable for free if your total order is more than 1000 yen!” The waitress promptly suggested, almost like an automated message.

“Okay, that sounds good. Then can I have a nostalgia steak, please?” 

“Perfect! Coming right up! Your order should be ready in 10-15 minutes.” 

The drinks arrived just in time before the ditsy man came back from his 15-minute long restroom break. His clothes were completely dry (albeit wrinkled), as well as his chocolatey brown hair that was unkempt yet somehow managed itself to be an attractive fluffy mess. He tried his best to flatten the wrinkles on his shirt one last time before giving up and motioned his way to his seat. 

“I’m so sorry to have made you wait this long! You really didn’t have to do that…” The adorkable/cookie loving man expressed with a puppy-eyed look. 

“Aww, don’t worry about it. You’re fine. By the way, how were you able to dry yourself? You were pretty soaking wet.”

“Hahaha. Yeah… Explaining this would probably make me sound crazy, but I used the public dryer.” He avoided Akira’s eyes, and lightly scratched his face with his index finger.

“H-how? Were you not embarrassed?”

“Well, luckily there was a private stall that had a sink and hand dryer provided. Even still, I was most definitely embarrassed, haha. Just recounting it makes me want to cringe. Oof!” He shook his head with a soured look on his face. 

“Ha. I think that was brilliant, actually.”

“Well, I don’t if I would put it that way, but thank you! I appreciate it, haha.”

“It’s true, though!”

Fluffy hair’s self-consciousness of taking a compliment was spared, thanks to the waitress who came back with the nostalgia steak Akira ordered earlier. She laid it in front of the two young men, enticed by an immaculate smell so good that you could almost taste it. 

“Please, enjoy!” The waitress bowed and gave Akira a discreet thumbs-up before moving onto another table. Akira began to feel a level of embarrassment completely foreign to him. He didn't have much of an inkling as to why, but whatever it is, it’s making it harder for him to look at the man across the table with those brown eyes. Right when he just started to get used to them.

_So much for progress._

“Wow! This looks amazing! Did you order these drinks as well?” He looked genuinely amazed at the food in front of him.

“You should have it, I’ve eaten this plenty of times, haha…” 

_I certainly never ate steak quite this delectable, though. I’m no Ryuji, but even I am struggling to resist the temptation of this sinfully voluptuous top sirloin._

“... You are the one paying, yet I am more than likely about 8 years older than you, at minimum. It should really be me doing that...” He looked downward, attempted, and failed, to hide the reddish glow spreading across his warm, dewy complexion.

_“_ It’s no big deal!” Akira insisted.

“Uh—, what about a compromise, haha? I suggest we could share this wonderful steak and— umm…nevermind.” 

“Okay, I would accept that compromise. But on one condition.” 

“Whatever it is, I would gladly fulfill it.” 

“ _Any_ condition?” Akira smirked.

“Yes, I would like to restore any dignity I have left after making a fool of myself in front of you, haha.”

“Okay then, I humbly request that you give me your name, O chivalrous knight.” Akira chuckled.

“Yes, your majes—. Wait, oh my— that’s right! I didn’t even give you my name, did I? Heheheh…”

“Nope.” 

“I’m sorry! My name is Takuto Maruki. I just relocated to Shibuya for my job. How about you?”

“I’m Akira Kurusu. I too have recently moved to an area not too far from here.”

“My, what a delightful coincidence we have gotten ourselves into!”

“Indeed.” _And so is this “special deal” I was offered. I guess it worked out pretty well in the end, though. But wait, could that mean that she thinks we’re— ?”_

“Kurusu-kun? Sorry, I must have bored you.” Takuto expressed his concern.

“No, not in the slightest. I was just thinking about something. I enjoy your company, Maruki-san.” 

“Really? Even with my awkward, nerdy self?” 

“Yes, really. That was a big part of why I enjoyed talking to you in the first place,” Akira affirmed with a smile.

“I am truly flattered, Akira—I mean, Kurusu-kun! Sorry!” 

“Haha, it’s totally fine if you call me by my first name. By the way, the steak will taste less appetizing if we just leave it there.”

Takuto nodded and thanked the generous young man before taking a bite off the succulent thick cut of medium-rare steak. From the beautiful browning on the outer crust to the juicy interior so tender, cutting it would be like a knife through butter. Having a luxurious piece of meat valued at the price of a Big Bang Burger meal was just criminal. There were no words needed to be exchanged for these young men to express the mutual adoration for an otherwise simple dish. The combination of the tarty and citrusy notes of their drinks is a sweet compliment to the fatty umami flavor profile of the meat. 

“How are you boys doing? Did you enjoy the meal,” The waitress inquired. 

“It was absolutely delicious. I must ask, how do you make this,” asked Takuto.

“To tell you the truth, I don’t know. Why don’t you ask Akira? He has tried it many times after all!” The waitress excused herself with a smirk on her face. 

_Why did she put me on the spot?_

Akira shook his head when Takuto turned to him for an answer.

“It seems like you know her, A-Akira.” 

“Well, ever since the subway accident, I have been coming here a lot.”

“Oh yes, that’s right. Are you okay?”

“It was exhausting, to say the least. I had just transferred schools.” 

“I can imagine. I’m sorry, that must be pretty overwhelming for your first day of school, to say the least.”

“ I’ll live. Just have to think positive, right?”

“Hm, I guess so...” 

_If only it were that simple._

  
  
  


-0-

A couple of hours have gone by, most of the patrons have already left, and the rain hasn’t let up yet, as indicated by the barrage of the streaky water taps on the diner’s windows and front door.

“Oh! look at the time. We should probably be on our way.”

“Do you want my umbrella?” Akira offered.

“No, please, let this old man return the favor. I will call a taxi cab so both of us can safely get to our homes without getting drenched.”

”Even for a stranger?” 

“Well, to be fair, we spent hours talking over a fantastic meal that you ordered, so I wouldn’t exactly say you’re a stranger to me anymore.”

“That is true. But don’t call yourself an old man, it makes everything sound… wrong, haha. How old are you, anyway?”

“How old do you think I am? Take a wild guess.”

“Probably twenty-seven years old.”

“Woah, you said that with no hesitation. How astute! Indeed I am. What made you think that?”

“Well, you just looked and sounded like you were around the same age as your average grad student, and you looked like you most recently did graduate. Plus, it would be hard to believe that I would be able to connect so well with someone like you in such a short amount of time if you were old.”

“Haha, good observational skills. Although I think our ability to connect has more to do with your maturity rather than my age! I am willing to bet that you will engage with an ‘old’ person all the same.” 

“All right... I will take you up on that offer, then.”

“Thank goodness! I would feel really bad if I hadn’t done anything to return the favor, haha.” Takuto chuckled nervously.

“You know, don’t need to try to prove yourself to me. Still, it was really sweet of you, so thank you.”

“Y-You’re welcome! You saw right through me, huh?”

Akira responded with a simple smile, causing Takuto’s face to redden even more. 

_I could already sense Morgana giving me a cheeky sneer. Silly cat in a bag._

Takuto attempted to walk outside but temporarily forgot about the torrential downpour that caused his clothes to get soaked earlier. To his surprise, however, he wasn’t hit by the rain that was heavy enough to cause a flash flood. He noticed that a slight shadow was cast over him, and felt a sudden tap on his shoulder, causing him to stir. It was Akira, who was standing rather close to shield both of them with his one-man umbrella. Takuto had no idea what to say or do but blush at having been pampered by the younger man, again. 

“Tit for tat,” Akira smirked.

“Hah, of course.”

“Hope you don’t feel too cramped. My umbrella is a bit small.”

“No, no! Thank you, it’s fine!”

Takuto never had anyone go out of their way for him like this before, let alone someone he had just met. 

“The cab should be coming any minute now. Where would you like to be dropped off, Akira?” 

“The backstreets near Yongen-Jaya Station should be fine.”

“All right! This cab ride is on me, you hear?” Takuto teased.

“Yes, sir.”


	2. Out of Pocket Pills

Akira and Takuto rushed to their cab as soon as it arrived, Akira still holding the umbrella until he got into his seat before closing it; letting his guard down for a second will inevitably leave Takuto’s creative efforts to dry himself to be all for nothing. 

“Where would you two gentlemen like to go?”

“I would like to drop him off first.”

“Sure thing.” 

Akira told the cab driver the directions to where he needed to go, while Takuto paid the cab immediately before he forgets. Takuto wanted to show Akira a little doodle he made with the condensation on the car window, but he quickly noticed that Akira kept tugging at his seat belt that wouldn't budge.

“Here, let me help you with that.”

Before Akira could speak, Takuto scooted closer to Akira's side and hovered over him as he readjusted the stubborn seat belt. Even though Takuto didn't touch him, Akira felt the emanating warmth and weight almost pressed against him, like an embrace a bit too close for comfort made evident by his heart skipping a beat. It was now his turn to be the awkward, easily flustered one.

“There you go! You’re all set!”

“T-Thank you, Maruki-san.”

“Akira, are you okay?”

“Um, what do you mean, haha?” _Dammit! C’mon joker! You’re acting suspiciously right now, you gotta calm down!_

“You look a little nervous,” Takuto asked with a tilted head.

“Oh, it’s because it’s late, and my curfew is also over, haha!”

“You’re curfew? Oh geez, it’s almost nine o’clock! I’m so sorry, this is all my fault. I’ll take responsibility and explain everything.” Takuto began to look despondently at the ground.

“N-No need for that! It’s not like I am not old enough to make decisions, I just didn’t realize how late it’s gotten!” Akira said nervously.

“Are you sure?”

“Yes! N-No worries!” 

“Okay! I’m still sorry.”

“You know, you say sorry an awful lot.”

“Really? You might be right. I’ve been told that a couple of times before.”

“Why?”

“Why… I say sorry a lot?’’

“Yeah, I mean, you don’t have to tell me if you’re not comfortable, I completely get that.”

“No, it’s not that. I just never gave it much thought. I don’t know why, to be honest with you.”

“That’s all right. It’s nothing to be ashamed about. I was just curious.”

“Hmm. I guess I am just afraid that I don’t say sorry enough. I just don’t want to hurt someone’s feelings.”

“I 100% empathize with you.”

“Thank you, that’s really nice of you to say.”

“I am not saying it to be nice. I am saying it because I genuinely feel that way, Maruki-san.”

“I know, that’s why I am genuinely thanking you, Akira-kun,” Takuto stated earnestly with a sweet smile. 

After their 20 minute awkward yet fun car ride, they arrived at the backstreets, but the road was far too narrow with too much traffic to casually park.

“I am sorry but I am going to drop you off directly by your address because it ain’t safe to park here.” 

“Uh, I actually live in Cafe Leblanc, which is just down a couple of blocks. I will let you know. 

_I didn’t want to admit I lived in a cafe in front of Maruki-san. I don't feel comfortable explaining myself._

“Wow, Akira! You live in a coffee shop! I am almost jealous!” 

“Maybe you should come and visit someday, Maruki-san.”

“Really?!” Takuto looked sincerely shocked. 

“Yeah!”

“Thank you so much. I was worried that I was coming off too strong…”

“Coming off too strong? What do you mean?”

“Um, it’s nothing! I am just overthinking it.”

“Aww, well I think it’s cute, Maruki-san.”

“C-cute? If anything you’re— .”

“Hey sorry to cut you lovebirds off, but we’ve arrived at the kid’s destination.”

“Oh...” Akira and Takuto said simultaneously with a scarlet red hue forming on their cheeks. 

“No need to feel ashamed about it, I just got a job to do, all right?”

“R-right. Akira-kun, please take care. It was wonderful meeting you.”

“It was wonderful meeting you, too Maruki-san.” Akira bowed.

“Oh no, need to be formal! Call me Takuto. I hope to see you around!”

Takuto waved back at Akira weakly as the car drove by. Takuto sunk into his seat and sighed. He was suddenly overwhelmed with rapid ruminations as soon as Akira was no longer in sight. 

_Did I make a bad impression? Was I overly nice, or was I not nice enough? What did he think of me? And Why did the cab driver call us lovebirds? Ugh, maybe I was way too forward. Offering a taxi ride is suspicious. I can’t just go to that cafe just to see him, I am sure his parents wouldn’t like an old guy like me seeing their son. But we’re just friends, and he invited me, wouldn’t that be rude... I can’t— I don’t know, I don’t know, I—._

“Hey! Heyyy!!! Are you okay?!” Yelled the taxi driver. 

“Huh? Yeah, uh. What do you— .” Takuto was having shortness of breath and was sweating despite the AC being on full blast. He squinted his eyes as he instinctively attempted to unblur his vision. He’s been staring at the floor the entire time he was dissociating, and his hands had a slight tremor. 

“Slow down, sir. I was trying to call your name for a good minute because we’re at your destination.”

“Oh my God, I am so sorry!”

“No need to be sorry. My shift has just ended, and I clocked out through my phone. Do you need me to take you to the hospital?” 

“No, no, no. I will be fine. This happens from time to time.”

“You got me a little worried there. Weren’t you really happy when your date was with you?”

“D-date?!” Takuto visibly startled.

“Eh, I don’t know what’s going on, I’m not going to pry. Is there anything I could help you with?” The taxi driver softened his rough face.

“Uh, yeah, um, do you have water or anything to drink?”

“Will an apple juice box work for you?”

“Yes, that’s perfect! Thank you!” Takuto enthusiastically took the juice box from the driver, still warm from being in the glove compartment all day but, it will do. 

“You know my daughter used to love that stuff. But when she turned 8, she didn’t want it anymore because it’s for ‘little kids’ haha.”

“Oh no, huh, now I feel embarrassed! I buy these things in bulk because they’re great for my wallet, and it somehow calms me down, haha…”

“Well, if it makes you happy and calms you down, that’s all that matters.” 

Takuto nodded, and dug his hand into his jean pocket and searched for a discreet tube that contained his PRN medication. He chugged down an orange tablet, about the size of a thumbtack, by squishing the room temperature apple juice out from the straw as if it was out of routine. Within a couple of minutes, his rapid heartbeat was tempered, and his hand tremors seemed to gradually go away.

“You scared me there, I thought you were having a stroke or a heart attack! Are you feeling better?”

“Yes, I feel a lot better. Thank you, it's nothing to be worried about, it’s just anxiety problems, that’s all...”

“Are you sure? Is there anything else I could help you with?”

“It’s okay, It will resolve itself soon...I apologize for being such a hassle, haha... I should probably go.”

“All right, but before you go, listen to me.”

“Huh, o-okay.” 

First of all, you are NOT a hassle. I don’t know your situation, but what I do know is that it is hard to be vulnerable in front of others, especially as grown men. That being said, you don’t need my nor anyone else’s permission to have feelings. Life is just unfair. So… we gotta help each other out, no?”

“Yes… You’re right... Uh… What’s your name? I’m Takuto Maruki, but you probably know that…”

“Hah, yeah. The name’s Dojima. Here, take my card, I wrote my private number. If you ever need a lift or just someone to talk to, just give me a call, all right?”

“I will. Thank you Dojima-san.” 

“No problem. Take care.”

When the kind taxi driver left, Takuto put in the code to his apartment building and took the stairs since there is maintenance going on in the elevator again. Takuto made sure he gripped onto the railing with two hands for extra security. His legs were a bit wobbly and so he took his time on the slippery surface.

_The perfect timing to have a panic attack and a flash flood…_

Takuto finally made it to his apartment floor, sitting against the railing to catch his breath. _Why do I feel so drained? But, hey at least I made it._

He stood up, pat himself on the shoulder (his interpretation of the concept of being your own best friend), quickly dug his key into the door, and tossed it on the living room table before jumping into the familiar embrace of a plush cushioned couch; the adult equivalent of a child’s stuffed animal, but with practical use. 

_Today was quite an eventful day. I was completely soaked because I forgot my umbrella. Of course, I would. That young man… He didn’t seem to care about how much of a klutz I am, and my eccentricities. He wasn’t normal. He was unusually kind, and trusted me to get him safe when we barely knew each other! Ugh, I could just cringe at how much of a creep I must have looked! Picking up a boy who was at least 8 years younger than me, offering a ride after only a few hours of knowing each other, getting all flustered and excited by his invitation to essentially come to visit his home, and having a cab driver take care of me after having an anxiety attack over if I made a bad impression. This shouldn’t bother me so much and yet it is!_

“Whhyyyy, am I so weirdd-duhhhh!” Takuto muffled with a pillow jammed into his face, finally giving in to his exhaustion and dozed off on his couch. 

-0-

“Pi Pi Pi, Pi Pi Pi…”

Takuto reached for his ringing phone on the arm of the couch, still lying face down.

“Hello? This is Dr. Maruki. Who’s this?”

“Yes Dr. Maruki, it’s Principal Kobayakawa. There are some important matters I would like to discuss with you. Do you have a minute?”

“Uhh, yes! O-Of course sir! What would you like to talk about? I have free time.” Takuto immediately sat upon realizing he is talking to his new boss. 

“First off, we’re happy to have you as our first counselor. I would also like to apologize for the time constraint, we’re in dire need of a mental health professional after Kamoshida’s abuses have been revealed.”

“Oh, no need to apologize! I am happy to take this job if it meant helping young people with their trauma.”

“I’m glad to hear, Dr. Maruki. Your tenure shall begin next week on May 13th.” 

“Wow! That’s rather soon! I can’t wait!”

“Before we go, do you have the list of all of Shujin’s student body?” 

“Y-Yes, do you want me to get it?”

“No, no, that wouldn’t be necessary. Do you have a pen and paper?”

“Oh! Um, just give me a moment… All right, what would you like for me to write, sir?”

“I would like for you to write down three names.”

“Got it.”

After Takuto got off the phone, he was completely stunned at what he had just heard a moment ago.

“...It can’t be him...”

_Akira Kurusu… There’s no mistaking it. But an assault charge? There’s no way that someone like him would do that. Even if he did, my job isn’t to“keep tabs on someone” as if I am investigating them. My job is to provide a safe, therapeutic space for young people who are struggling without adequate mental health support. It’s against my code of ethics to break confidentiality. Speaking of ethics, how were there rumors about Akira all over the school unless a staff member leaked that information? Truly, the only person I am suspicious of is you, Kobayakawa-san. I should stop being wrapped up in my insecurities_ , AND _make sure I protect Akira. He deserves to be treated much better than this as if he’s a criminal to Kobayakawa’s eyes._

Takuto got up from his couch and walked into a nook that served as a cozy workspace, like a pseudo-cabin but in an urban area. He sat on his computer chair that he kept since his college days, and took out Dojima’s card, providing him with a bit of encouragement to do his research that he’s been working on and off for the past three years. Now that he has this job, he has a bit more autonomy where he could work on his projects, unlike being in a clinic that consumed most of his day. 

“Psych yourself out, Doc!” Takuto exclaimed as he pushed up the corners of his mouth with his fingers, and made a silly smile. 


	3. Councillor's Light

“Wake up, inmate!” Caroline yelled as she hit the cell bars with her baton.

Akira opened his eyes and noticed he was in chains again with his tattered black and white striped outfit. He routinely walked over to the cell bars awaiting for Igor’s ever so cryptic information, left to his devices to decipher what he meant whilst infiltrating a palace. It never fails to surprise Akira whenever he wakes up in the Velvet Room, no matter how many times he’s come here. At least he could find humor in just how comically stereotypical his prison get-up is, juxtaposed to his supernatural loli wardens stranger than the whole concept of holding Personas “within our hearts.”

“Our master would like a word with you,” Justine calmly stated.  _ They are truly opposites of each other, Caroline being hot-tempered, and Justine polite yet cold manners.  _

“Getting used to the Metaverse?”

“More or less.”

“You’ve changed a truly distorted heart who manipulated the administrators to cover up their abuses. Not only that, but you managed to help awaken two new Persona users’ powers who rebelled against their oppressor and won. I am certainly impressed by your potential.”

“Our Master has given you words of praise! You should feel honored, Inmate,” Caroline exclaimed.

“Now onto discussing the main reason why I summoned you here. Girls, present him the item.”

“Justine, you’ll handle this.”

“Very well then, Caroline. I was looking forward to it anyway. Inmate gives me your hand.”

As Justine placed a blank card into Akira’s hand, he began to feel a nauseating convulsion.

“What the hell?! Inmate!”

“Master, what are we gonna do?”

“... I am afraid this inordinate mysterious energy exceeds well beyond my capacity.”

“But, Master what’s gonna— ?!”

Before Akira could hear more of what Igor wanted to discuss, the Velvet Room suddenly morphed into an expansive alabaster monastery-like landscape The surrounding architecture gave the literal facade that there is the actual weight in this world but moving seemed to acquire noticeably little energy, if any. 

“Are you Akira?” A boyish voice suddenly echoed.

Akira looked around, only to find nothing. 

“How do you know who I am?”

“How do I know you? Through the bond of the Councillor, of course.”

“I don’t understand why I am here...”

For a brief moment, there was a silence so stark that the only sound that could be heard was Akira’s heartbeat. Akira felt overwhelmingly vulnerable being forced to quite literally listen to his own heart, ironic for the leader of the Phantom Thieves whose main goal is to investigate distorted hearts and radically alter them. 

“Hey, mister.” 

Before Akira could faint out of exhaustion, he felt a gentle tug by the hem of his shirt. He looked down to see who it was and didn’t expect to find a little boy. The little boy could have easily camouflaged himself to the alabaster environment if it weren’t for his golden-yellow eyes aesthetically similar to the Twin Wardens’. However, looking into his eyes gave an impression that was altogether different from anything he has seen before; it was if they embodied the essence of stars.

“Helloooo!" The little boy shook Akira even harder.

“O-Oh, sorry!”

“That’s okay. You looked a little bewildered, so I figured I’d pull you back to reality.”

“Reality? This isn’t what reality is supposed to be.”

“I could see how the limitations of the human mind can certainly perceive it that way. But it is also part of my limitations of not understanding humans well enough to communicate with you better.”

“I don’t know what is going...”

“I don’t think it would be a reasonable expectation to have assumed that you were abruptly absorbed into this dimension. I do apologize. It seems there is much to be discussed, come follow me!”

Lights were flowing around them, revealing the color of the surrounding architecture, the lush green grass beneath their feet, and an abundance of vibrant flowers that delicately brush the skin. The mysterious boy plucked a few flowers off the ground and crunched its juices into a vial.

“Please drink this. It will help you understand things better.”

“What is that?”

“Do you want ice in it?”

“S-sure, I guess? But— .”

“Okay! want a straw?”

“It doesn’t matter, could you—.”

“Here you go!”

_ Why won’t he just tell me what this is? What if it has been spiked? I suppose it looks more appealing than those shady “clinical trials” Takemi puts me through, so if I could do that then I can certainly do this.  _

Akira took the vial and sipped the iced drink. Its taste was certainly refreshing and surprisingly sweet. The taste was immediately overpowered by a rush of restlessness and unrest. It was almost like he was experiencing these emotions as if it were his own. His vision became hazy, forcing him to close his eyes until he felt droplets dripping down on his face. There was rain. Heavy rain, pouring from a starry sky. It had a surreal glow that surpasses any sky viewing Akira has seen back at his home province which was an already astonishing sight, to begin with. The heavy rain swelled the earth beneath, causing the flowers to rupture into incandescent petals, emitting a soothing warmth in the otherwise harsh cold. 

“Wow! I didn’t think that was going to happen! You’re amazing, Mister!”

“I didn’t try to do anything...”  
“So what did you observe in this experience?”

“What do you mean?”

“What did you see? Taste? Smell? Sound? How did it feel against your skin, or perhaps inside yourself?”

Akira closed his eyes and recalled everything by activating all five senses.

“...When I first took a sip from the vial, it had an unusual, yet delightfully sweet taste. After I ingested the whole drink, I immediately felt this internal agitation, like every fiber of my being was just itching to move but I couldn’t... “

“What else?”

“Ummm...”

“No need to strain yourself. Recall everything mindfully, and let it resurface on its own without forcing it.”

“...I wanted to move, but I felt like my knees couldn’t bear the weight of my body, and my mind was on the verge of collapsing. I was helplessly trapped inside myself. It was only for a minute, yet felt like an eternity. And then...”

“And then?”

“And then...I felt the pouring rain hit my face, bringing my attention to the sky above…There are no words that could adequately describe that— just all of it, those lights… it was beautiful. Don’t get me wrong, I still felt the pain, yet somehow, all of everything that just happened made it worth it.” 

“You know, Mister. That light wouldn’t exist without you.”

“W-What do you mean? Who are you?”

“My name is Jose. I am a being created by my master to cultivate human knowledge, something similar to a “scientist” perhaps? What you just drank is a sample of someone’s cognition and its somatic effects. To be more specific, those contrasting emotions and physical feelings of pain and euphoria belong to whomever you share the Councillor’s bond with. Those lights, however, were never there when I first analyzed. It must mean you are the only one who can activate it. This is just a quick deduction, but it would seem that you ARE those lights to whomever this person is. It just hasn’t been fully actualized in his consciousness yet.”

“This is just... a lot to take in.”

_ Just who is this other person? If I don’t know who they are, how could I ever be their ‘light,’ it’s far too dramatic. Besides, there isn’t anything remotely that beautiful in someone like me… _

“I know. I apologize, Mister, for dumping all of this on you when you must already have a lot on your plate. There is a lot that we don’t know about the Councillor’s Arcana as only one person has ever wielded its power before. What we do know is that its power is unstable and underdeveloped. The reason why we’ve summoned you here is to help us closely monitor this unstable power as a preventative measure, and as part of my case study on the human mind.”

“So what you're asking is to continue deepening this Confidant bond as I have with the others. How could I do that if I don’t know who they are?”

“Hehe, you DO know who they are! This whole place you’re in wouldn’t exist if you didn’t, hehe.”

“But—!”

Jose lifted pollen from the flowers with his magic and cast a spell on Akira, causing his eyelids to grow heavy and induce deep sleep, right into a REM cycle. Might have been a bit rude, but it was a much calmer departure from a cognitive world than sleeping away in a prison cell. 

-0-

“Akirraaa! Time for school! One more day of midterms, it would be a shame for the leader of the phantom thieves,” meowed the bouncy Morgana.

Akira winced his eyes as the Tuxedo cat pawed at his face. He rested a gentle palm on Morgana’s head and began to pet him until he purred.

“You’re a rather loud alarm clock. I’d be more annoyed at you if you weren’t so cute.” Akira said as he continued to stroke Morgana’s fur.

“Why you! I am not just some pet animal!” Morgana protested.

“Okay, sure thing. Then no more head pats for you then.”

“Nooo! Not that!”

“That’s what I thought.” 

“Meanie— _meowwrrghh_.” Morgana sank on Akira’s lap. _  
_ _For a human, you certainly behave like a cat._

Akira gently lifted Morgana over his shoulder as he made his bed, and then placed him in his school messenger bag when it was time for him to change into his Shujin uniform. 

_ It’s an awfully nice design for a school that depended on an abuser’s Olympic status for prestige. Still, I am glad to have made some good friends, faster than I ever did back ‘home,’ if I could even call it that anymore. _

“Hey, Akira! Are you done? I need you downstairs.” Sojiro called.

“Yes! I will head down right now.” 

Akira took the Morgana bag and ran downstairs. Sojiro was waiting for him with a generous amount of curry and rice sitting on the counter, still warm and aromatic. 

“That’s your breakfast. Now, I have some important matters to attend to. Before you go to school, could you do me a favor and just put back the grated apples and honey in the fridge? Also, make sure to grind the coffee beans medium-fine. No need to clean the dishes.”  
“Understood.”

“Thanks. You know, for A kid on probation, you’re surprisingly very polite. All right, I gotta go.” Sojiro grinned.

Without wasting a second, Sojiro speed-walked out of the door, again forgetting to flip the store sign to “close” since no one was going to be there for a while.

“I wonder why the Chief is in such a hurry.”

“I wonder that, too. But I have to hurry as well. Do you mind if you could put those containers into the fridge? I’ll worry about the coffee grinds.”

“Sure. But I want some of that curry as a reward.”

“You mean from my plate?”

“Hell no! I want a plate of my own!”

“Forget it, I don’t need your help, then.”

“Ughh, fine! I relent!”

“That’s what I thought.”

“Meanie…”

-0-

Sitting in his classroom after completing his midterms, Akira took this time to reflect on the events that took place in that strange, alabaster world.

_ Who is this person that I share a bond with? According to that mysterious little boy, I already know who they are. Whoever they are, they hold a painfully familiar sadness in their heart that I can’t ignore. Just how could I be someone’s light if I, myself, haven’t figured a way out of my own darkness? This must be what Igor meant by ‘completing your rehabilitation.’ _

  
  


-0-

“Ah, man! We have another assembly again,” Ryuji sighed.

“You better go, Ryuji! We gotta lay low now while we wait for a new target,” Morgana scolded.

“Okay, okay! It’s not like it matters, anyway.”

“Well we still gotta go, there are already rumors about our involvement with Kamoshida! Still, I get what you mean. Whatever this assembly is for, it’s all just damage control. This school doesn’t care…” Ann said with disappointment.

“Yeah, you’re totally right about that. I’ll just go and deal with it I guess.”

Akira led the way into the auditorium and stood as close to the stage as they could, in case they needed to gather potentially relevant intel for their Phantom Thief escapades. They were standing in the same place where they came face to face with the King they rightfully dethroned. The atmosphere of that specific incident remained, despite the decisive end of the Olympic Medalist’s reign. As Ann expected, this assembly was all just PR to cover-up Principal Kobayakawa’s negligence in protecting his students. What came completely out of the left-field was who exactly was behind those curtains.

_ You’ve got to be kidding me. There is no way this is seriously happening right now. _

__

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  



	4. Unavoidable Rush

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry I haven't posted it soon enough.

Baffled to see Takuto as the revealed counselor, Akira was having a difficult time maintaining his usual poker face. He just couldn’t wrap his mind around it.  _ Takuto?! I can’t believe this... If he knew he was going to be the school counselor, why would he deliberately make an effort to talk with me, a student, out of everyone else at the diner? Could this mean, he was trying to coax me into spilling information? No, that can’t be it, that’s not the feeling I got… Then again, it’s not implausible. I feel guilty for thinking that way for some reason, but I shouldn’t let my guard down.  _

All of the students were dismissed from the assembly, and while Akira’s impulse was to rush his way home, he figured that would only raise suspicions. He will spend time after school with his friends as normal.

“Finally, the school day is over,” Ryuji yawned.

“Yeah, but our midterms don't end till tomorrow… I just hope I pass,” Ann sighed. 

“Ahgh, don’t remind me! Ohh-wa, I really couldn’t concentrate in class, man.”

“When did you ever concentrate in class,” sassed Morgana.

“Shuddup, you stupid cat!”

“speak for yourself, dumb blondie!”

“Quit it you two! We’re still on school grounds!  _ Sigh _ . Anyway, do you guys want to meet up at the Shibuya Diner later tonight so we can study together?”

“I’m down for that. What about you, leader?”

“Uhh, sorry I promised my guardian that I will be helping out at the shop tonight.” _ Sorry guys, but I rather avoid any chance encounters.  _

“Aww! But… you still have some time to kill till then, right? Why don’t we chill at Shibuya station underground? That way you could just go home whenever you need to.”

“Oh, I didn’t think about that! That's pretty convenient because then I can get some needed shopping done,” Ann said excitedly.

“Sure,” Akira smiled and nodded.

“But we better not spend the whole afternoon at the mall, you just want us to carry your bags…”

“Don’t worry! I just need to get a few things, I promise it won’t take long!”

“Ugh, fine. You promised, so don’t go back on your word!”

“I won’t! Sheesh. Let’s go.”

“I would have been perfectly happy shopping with you all day, Lady Ann.”

“Thank you, Morgana, but you can’t exactly carry much with your arms, at least in this world.”

“Heheh Morgana, you just got rejected.”

“...I need to go back to being human,” Morgana muttered under his breath.

-0-

25 minutes later, they made it to Shibuya’s underground mall that was packed with people, it would take a great deal of effort to maneuver through all of them. 

“Ahh, that’s right! It’s a Friday…”

“Please don’t tell me you’re still willing to go through all of that just for some clothes?”

“No, no… I am sorry Akira for dragging you along when you should be on your way home,” Ann sighed with disappointment.

“ No worries. That supermarket isn't that crowded though, why don’t we go there instead? There might be some good finds” Akira suggested.

“Oh yeah, maybe we could buy some treats,” said Ann.

“All right, you guys go ahead to wherever. I am going to take this opportunity to get some groceries.”

“Great! Glad we got that sorted—”

“Let’s go, Ryuji! To the snack aisle, we go,”   
Ann cheered.

“Oh c’mon! Ow— All right, all right, I’ll go! You don’t gotta drag me,” Ryuji relented. 

After his two friends went off to explore the snack aisle, Akira went up and down throughout the supermarket to shop for the necessary ingredients of making master curry that Sojiro taught him to. Plus, he needed to occupy himself with something to get his mind off Takuto, and on something more productive.

_ I need to make curry roux from scratch, but Sojiro never specified any ingredients to make it the way that he wants. I doubt that he would want me to use the store-bought kind, that’s pretty much heresy _ …

“Hey, Akira,” Morgana called.

“Y-Yes?”

“Are you not bothered at all by that Takuto guy?”

“N-No, why do you ask?”

“Well, if I were in your shoes, I would naturally feel skeptical of any adult involved in that school. Did you forget how they pinned you as a criminal?”

“No, I didn’t forget. Trust that I am aware of how odd all of this is, Morgana.”  _ I really don’t need this right now. Just when I was beginning to distract myself, too. _

“No need to be defensive. I’m just surprised at how relaxed you are about it.”

“It may seem that way on the surface, but that’s only because I am making a concerted effort to stay calm, and not jump to conclusions. It would be reckless of me to operate on pure speculations alone.”

“You’re right, I didn’t think about that. I’m sorry for being pushy.”

“It’s fine, I just want to focus on something less stressful, and more enjoyable like cooking.”

“That’s fair, I want to try some!”

“Sure, you can be my taste tester,” Akira said with a smile. 

Akira continued to concentrate on his grocery shopping, perusing through fresh ingredients he picked out in his mind and imagining how it would make his curry taste like. After he was done purchasing everything at the cash register, he rejoined his friends outside of the supermarket, and made their way to the slushie and smoothie stands for a much needed cold pick-me-up, as per Ann’s suggestion.

“Man, Ann, I never met anyone who likes sweets as much as you do.”

“I never met anyone who likes meat as much as you do.

“Touche.”

“Hey, guys, I think it is about time I should go.”

“Damn, it’s already almost 6 o’clock?!”

“Wow, where did our time go? Well, we’ll see you tomorrow, Akira, and good luck on the test. Bye Morgana!”

“I already miss you, Lady Ann!”

As Ann and Ryuji headed outside of the passage, Akira let out a sigh knowing that his train ride was scheduled to arrive during on-peak hours and that he had to brave his way into a crowded subway car. Normally at this hour, Akira would seek refuge in the Shibuya Diner to avoid the inevitable crowd, but that was out of the question.  _ Shit it, it was probably a bad idea to buy groceries today. I just hope I don’t bump into someone, or I block their path.  _

The train soon arrived with passengers packed to the brim, overflowing the dam that is the station platform. Akira felt as if his breathing was strained under the heavy atmosphere of people, he had to willfully usher himself past all of them just so he wouldn't miss his train. Just as he made it in, the automatic sliding doors trapped him by the ankle of his pants, causing him to slip in a very tightly packed space. All he could reasonably do is brace himself for the fall by closing his eyes, and deal with his embarrassing public blunder later. Fully expecting the harsh impact of metal on his hands and knees, he did not anticipate his face landing on what felt like a soft, warm, yet sturdy and somewhat broad cushion. 

“Hey, are you all right?”

_ Why does that voice sound so familiar?  _

Akira opened his eyes and saw himself gripping an oxford blue shirt fitted to a man’s chest, with a lanyard and necktie draped over his hands. He hesitantly turned his head to face the man who became his living body pillow, and just when he thought it couldn’t get any worse, it turned out his “living body pillow” was none other than Takuto Maruki; the very man he was deliberately avoiding, is now pressed so closely against said man, they were practically cuddling. In a last-ditch effort to redeem his badly hurt ego (which says a lot for the very humble Akira), he attempted to back away. But alas, it only made him lose his balance due to an unfortunate combination of being obscenely cramped with no railing to hold onto during an express train ride during rush hour. Whether for good or bad, Takuto swooped a surprisingly firm arm around Akira and gently drew him closer to prevent him from knocking the dominoes of overworked people, whose collective will of “I want to fucking go home,” could easily be disrupted by imprecise sudden movements.

“Akira,” Takuto spoked with a soft, concerned voice, causing Akira to instinctively look up at the taller man with a vulnerable gaze. 

“I know all of this may seem incomprehensible at the moment, and I am sorry I couldn’t reach out to you before the assembly, but please don’t feel ashamed…”

“W-What do you mean,” Akira timidly asked.

Without saying a word, Takuto secured his arm more firmly on Akira, reinforcing the younger man’s grip on his chest. He was also glad that Akira was facing him instead of the disapproving stares that would surely make Akira feel worse. While Takuto would be lying if he says he’s unbothered by the stares, he cared deeply about what Akira thought of him. That being said, while Takuto is undoubtedly a tender and warmhearted man with good intentions, he was no less immune to the temptation of worldly desires than other men, as evidenced by the adrenaline effects made visible throughout his body while Akira submissively clung on to him. Whereas Akira was blushing because of his failed attempt to avoid Takuto, Takuto was blushing for having thoughts and feelings for a student that surely break the school code of conduct, for another man no less in conservative Japan. 

_ What have I gotten myself into?  _ Takuto thought while watching over the youth under his arm. 

“Takuto…”

“Y-Yes, Akira?”

“...We could sit down now.”

"O-Oh, right."


	5. Fireflies in My Stomach

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> College summer session is over, so hopefully, I will be able to write more frequently.
> 
> Edit: I have fixed some of the typos. I apologize of not checking beforehand.

_Geez, I am nearing my 30s, yet, I am getting all hormonal like I’m a teenager again! It’s been a while since I have been touched like this before, so maybe I am confusing my desperation for genuine attraction?_

“Takuto, look,” said Akira. 

“H-Huh,” stuttered Takuto as Akira tugged on his shirt to get his attention.

_Welp, there goes my resolve. Why do you have to have to be so cute?!_

“I spotted some empty seats.”

“O-Oh g-good, that’s good.”

Akira walked over to an empty seat and motioned Takuto to take the seat beside him before new passengers came in. Conveniently, their bench was a two-seater, but despite being relieved from standing any longer, it was still crowded. This naturally forced the pair to huddle together for the rest of the train ride to conserve space for others, but not necessarily between themselves. 

“I’m really sorry for having to attach myself to you. You didn’t need to do that,” Akira gulped.

“There’s no need to be sorry. I wasn’t going to let you fall so I caught you. I should be the one apologizing for putting you in that awkward position.”

“I would feel more awkward constantly losing my balance and bumping into people throughout the whole subway ride. So thank you…”

“Uh, y-yeah,” Takuto muttered, unsure of how to respond other than involuntarily blushing. He resisted the urge of trying to fill up the silence looming over them, well knowing now how it tends to make it worse. 

“Hey, Takuto. Didn’t you say you lived close to Shibuya?”

“Yeah, haha. Why do you ask?”

“We’re almost at— .”

“YONGEN-JAYA. THIS IS YONGEN-JAYA,” alarmed the subway announcements.

“Oh crap, this is bad! I forgot to get off my stop,” gasped Takuto. 

“Ah, damn, that was my fault.”

“No, I shouldn’t have been careless.”

“ ...Why don’t you come with me then,” prompted Akira as he stood over Takuto.

“Wait Wha— ?!” 

Akira grabbed Takuto’s hand and dashed through the sliding doors before they closed without either of them stumbling somehow. Akira led them out of the alleyway towards the backstreets of Yongen-Jaya.

“Akira wah—why?”

“I didn’t want you to go through an ordeal of coming all the way here, just to go back. ”

“Oh, well, that was thoughtful of you, but— ?”

“Just think of it as returning the favor, just like last time.”

“Ah, is this a game of taking turns giving favors?”

“Hmm, it sounds like fun to me,” Akira chuckled.

“Hahaha, I suppose so. Where are you taking me?”

“You’ll see.”

Although they were just walking, Takuto’s heartbeat was virtually sprinting, his fingers still interlocked with Akira as they made their way to this “not-so-secret” secret joint unbeknownst to the older man. Takuto was immediately hit with the aroma of herbal medicine mixed with subtle hints of newly washed cotton clothing that permeated the slightly inclined block. Evenings in Yongen-Jaya were considerably quieter in both appearance and sound compared to the brightly lit streets full of nightcrawlers in Shibuya. The only light sources available were the incandescence of evening bars, and one secondhand shop with obnoxiously bright-white lighting. 

“We’re here,” beamed Akira, looking back at Takuto while pulling the door with what sounded like old wind chimes. 

“Wait, is this Leblanc?”

“mmhmm,” Akira nodded. 

How… quaint,” Takuto marveled. The first thing he noticed was the very mature scent of coffee grinds and the aged wooden smell you could get from Japanese cypress. Overall, the cafe exudes comfort.

“Hmm?” Sojiro glanced up from his daily newspaper.

“Uh, this is Takuto, a friend of mine. Takuto, this is Sakura-san, my guardian.”

“O-Oh, nice to meet you, Sakura-san!”Takuto bowed his head.

“There’s no need to be so formal with me. You could just call me Boss.”

“He was even like that with me,” Akira chortled.

“H-Hey!” 

“Heh, why don’t you take a seat, I’ll get you something to drink. Akira, you’re helping out.”

“Understood.”

“What would you like, Takuto-kun?”

“Whatever you recommend!”

“All right,” smiled Sojiro.

Curious to see how baristas make coffee, Takuto was oddly mesmerized by how meticulous Sojiro was with hand-selecting a custom blend of roasted coffee beans, and how Akira fastidiously ground them medium-fine then brewed in a matter of a few minutes.

“Fascinating,” said Takuto in awe.

“What is,” asked Akira.

“I didn’t know you were a barista.”

“Nah, I still have some ways to go. Here, your coffee is ready.” Akira served Takuto’s coffee on the counter.

“Thank you so much,” Takuto beamed, delicately holding the cup to his lips.“O-Oh, that’s hot but delicious! Wow.”

“Let me have a taste.” Sojiro poured Akira’s brewed coffee into a small cup and took a sip. His eyes widened and nodded in approval. “Not bad, kid. Not bad at all. I see you have been diligently practicing your coffee. To think you’ve gotten this good in less than a month. That motivated me to impress the ladies?”

“Hah. I am more than happy to impress a gentleman, too. Right, Takuto,” winked Akira.

“Huh?! O-Oww, I burnt my tongue…”

“Your face seems burnt, too.”

“H-Hey, you shouldn’t tease your elders,” winced Takuto as he covers his face. 

Ugh, it’s getting way too hot in here,” complained Morgana, jumping out of Akira’s bag!

“What?!”

“ _Sigh_ , I don’t know what you’re up to, kid, but could you bring your friend and that silly cat upstairs. The shop is still open. No need to pay, Takuto.”

“Really? Thanks! Hmm, upstairs... That’s right, I forgot you live here, Akira. I am actually curious about what your room looks like. But where did that come from?”

“You know, you ask a lot of questions. Then again, this is the perfect opportunity to hash them out, considering I have some things I would like for you to answer as well. Follow me.”

“Uh, okay!”

  
  


-0-

“So, this is your room!”

“Yup. This was once an old storage room. When I first came here, there were all kinds of junk covering the surface, I could hardly walk anywhere. I apologize for the dust, it’s the best that I could do.”

“No, it’s fine! So that explains how spacious this place is. I would have never guessed it was a storage room, I think you did an excellent job of making full use of what was afforded to you.”

“Aw, thanks. Wanna chat?”

“Sure.” 

Akira and Takuto sat side by side on a sofa that must be more than 20 years old, as indicated by the worn-out beige color, and how much it “gives” when sitting on it. It was oddly sentimental, the perfect setup for two people to have a heart-to-heart conversation.

“You had a cat in your bag this whole time?! How do you get away with that in school?”

“Promise not to tell, all right?”

“Oh, no, you don’t have to worry about that, I am just amazed. You’re a man of many surprises.”

“Hah, you should be more surprised by this stealthy little guy, he acts almost human.”

“That’s because I AM human,” Morgana hissed.

“Now, now Morgana,” taunted Akira.

“He seems to be rather proud,” Takuto smiled.

“I have been meaning to ask you something.”

“Sure! I would be happy to answer!”

“Okay. My question is why did you approach me last week in the diner? What is your prerogative?”

“Huh, w-what do you mean?”

“If you knew you were going to be counseling in Shujin, why did you approach me, your prospective student, out of everyone else there?”

“Ahh… I’m sorry Akira, I should have come and talked to you personally before that assembly...”

“Did Shujin tell you to follow me?”

“N-No! Well, to be completely honest with you, Principal Kobayakawa did want me to keep tabs on you, but he told me about you well after we first met. I didn’t even know you were a Shujin student then.”

“Then why?”

“Uh-umm, l d-don’t know… I’m so sorry Akira. I promise I didn't do it out of malice or because I was told to! I did it out of my volition alone,” whimpered Takuto with a regretful look on his face. 

“No, I should be the one saying sorry. I invited you to my home and essentially interrogated you. That was uncalled for,” consoled Akira. 

“It was my fault, though. I should have been more responsible and disclosed everything to you sooner. I don’t blame you for not trusting me.”

“Takuto, can you come here for a sec?”

“Uhhh, sure? Akira! Wa—!”

Akira proceeded to take his two hands and lifted the corners of Takuto’s mouth to form a clownish happy. 

“Turn that frown upside down! How’s that for a surprise? Hehe.”

“You certainly came out of left-field, that’s for sure. But I am glad you did,” thanked Takuto. “Um, could I ask you one last question?”

“mhmm,” nodded Akira. 

“Ehhh, no nevermind.”

“C’mon, don’t do that! That’s just going to make me even more curious.”

“...I’ve been meaning to ask you if you could help me out with my research. It’s not anything crazy, it’s pretty much just us talking and hashing out some of my ideas. No hard feelings if you don’t want to, but your insight would be very appreciated.”

“Sure, I am down for that.”

“Wait, really?”

“Yeah, why not? I enjoy our conversations and your company in general, we could talk forever if you’re wanted.”

“Aw, that was really sweet of you! I feel honored.”

“Indeed. Thou is most worthy of my honor, hehe.”

“Haha, you’re too silly,” chuckled Takuto as he playfully messes up Akira’s hair.

“H-Hey! It’s already fluffy as is,” pouted Akira.

“It’s surprisingly soft, too.”

“Oh, yeah? Let me see how your hair feels!”

“Go ahead,” grinned Takuto.

“Well, that’s not the response I expected.”

Takuto dipped his head forward and pointed at the crown. “Well?”

“You’re challenging me, hm? Fine, I’ll humor you, but I won’t let you win!” Akira reached his hand and ran his fingers through Takuto’s hair. Takuto didn’t seem to react at all, and his smile remained unchanged like his usual self. 

“Are you enjoying this,” blushed Akira.

“I enjoy seeing you get flustered instead of me for once. I think it’s kinda cute.”

“Hmm, well do you think this is cute?” Akira messed up Takuto with both hands, finally causing him to flinch.

“Haha, I thought I had you in checkmate!”

“Nonsense.”

“I’ll get next time!”

“We’ll see about that.”

“ You fools! I got you both in checkmate, now!” The mischievous Morgana spontaneously leaped on Takuto’s head and gave him a little push, just enough for Takuto to topple over Akira. 

“Mwehehehe.”

“Morgana, you!” _Wait._

It took Akira a second to notice Takuto’s arms outstretched over him, with their noses, not even an inch apart from each other, involuntarily invading each other’s space yet neither could pull away. 

“...Takuto?”

“Y-Yes, Akira?”

“My hand is stuck underneath you…”

“Oh, sorry!” Takuto, yet again, was enchanted by the nubile youth’s spontaneous shift from his typically playful and vigorous self, to a delicate and meek display of a naive allure that dares Takuto to desire more.

“Hey, you two, you could stay here if you want, but I gotta close up shop. It’s getting late,” Sojiro said, startling the 

“It’s 9 o’clock already, I don’t want to miss the train,” alarmed Takuto, lifting himself from Akira’s body.

“Would you like for me to accompany you to the station until your train arrives?”

“Well…hmm. I appreciate it, but you really don’t need to, haha,” Takuto chuckled nervously.

“I may not need to, but I want to, unless you say no, of course.”

“ I wouldn’t mind it, but—.”

“So it’s settled then!”

“ _Sigh,_ you know, your decisiveness is an admirable trait. I wish to be more like you.”

“Nah. I think our conversations would be exhaustingly boring if you were more like me. I’d much prefer to talk to Takuto for who Takuto is. It’s more fun that way.”

“...You’re so cute,” Takuto mumbled. 

“What was that?”

“N-Nothing!”

“Suspicious… Welp, no use in persisting now because we only have 15 minutes till the train arrives.”

“Geez, we should head our way out now.”

“Morgana, please just stay here for a bit, okay?”

“Fine by me, but you better not end up staying over at his place and abandoning me,” meowed Morgana.

“Cheeky cat.”

“You talking about yourself, right?”

  
  


-0-

“Woah, what do we have here,” gasped Takuto.

Just outside LeBlanc was a flurry of fireflies that gathered around the two who were just stunned by this exceptional spectacle. 

“Is this a normal occurrence here?”

“I haven’t been here long, but I’m sure this is anything but normal.” _But why does it seem so familiar?_

“Don’t you guys have a train to catch? What are you guys looking at,” Sojiro inquired, opening the door behind them.

“Do you not see the fireflies,” Takuto said perplexed.

“Fireflies? I don’t see any. I’m probably getting old though. There have been some delays in public transportation lately because of that accident, particularly at night.”

“All right, thanks for the heads up, Boss,” responded Akira.

The pair speed-walked their way to Yongen-Jaya Station, only to be followed by the fireflies that appear to only be seen by them and no one else. They were not bothersome in of themselves, but the unnatural behavior of these fireflies gnawed at their minds on how this was even possible, to begin with. This was until Akira’s third eye was involuntarily activated, revealing that these “fireflies” had zero matter, or any physical substance, not even an electron. It simply didn’t exist, yet he and Takuto were able to see it. 

“As bizarre as this is, I think it’s cool that only you and I could see it. It’s like a secret shared only between us,” smiled Takuto. 

“A secret shared only between us, huh…”

“S-Sorry! That might have sounded a bit gushy.”

“No, that’s not it at all. I just have felt like you were onto something, albeit unintentionally.”

“Ah, great! I am curious to know your thoughts but unfortunately, I do have time. Let’s talk some other time.”

“Why don’t we exchange phone numbers then?”

“Good idea! Plus, it will be easier to text you to meet with me for my research than frantically searching for you at school.”

“That is true, but I mainly wanted to exchange contacts because we’re friends and that is what friends do. I would also like to say sorry for doubting your sincerity as a person.”

“Yes! I am so glad to call each other friends. And, I don’t blame you at all. You had every reason to doubt me, considering how poorly you were treated. Here’s my number.” 

“Thanks. By the way, Takuto, if you knew how awful the administration is, why did you still decide to work there?”

“...Good question. I guess I felt that had I not taken the job, I would be turning a blind eye, therefore, neglecting the students who were abused by Kamoshida. Most importantly, I wanted to make sure that you had an ally in school, to have someone support you whenever you are in need.”

“You’re an incredibly kind person, Takuto. I appreciate it.”

“Speak for yourself! Looks like the train has arrived. You be good now, okay?” Takuto fluffed up Akira’s hair.

“O-Okay…” purred Akira. 

“Hmm, I didn’t notice the fireflies were gone,” observed Takuto as he boarded the train and took his seat. 

_There’s hardly anyone here. It’s pretty late after all. I am glad to have stayed over at Akira’s place, though. Still, I feel so wrong being on top of him in that cramped sofa! No way I could turn back from that._

“Bzzzzzz,” Takuto’s phone vibrated. Akira sent him a few messages.

**Akira: Hey Takuto, I hope you could see this.**

**Takuto: Hey Akira! Yes, I could see it, haha. Is there something on your mind you want to talk about?**

**Akira: No, I just wanted to say hi, LOL.**

**Takuto: Oh, okay, hi there!**

**Akira: By the way, I think I am cute, too. :p**

_Crap. He heard me. kill me now._

  
  
  



	6. Breaking Bread

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ahh! I am so sorry guys, I haven’t posted in quite some time so I would like to apologize about that!  
> In this chapter, I gave additional background to Akira and how his home life was like prior to the events of Persona 5. There will be mentions of past abuse in my fanfic, elaborating some of the traumas that are not discussed in the game, so please be warned.  
> I hope you like what I had to write!

Chapter 6

It was a partly cloudy Monday morning, a stark contrast with the glitz and glam of Madarame’s palace that was practically dripping with gold; not too dissimilar from the duality of Madarame’s performative humility that the public sees versus Madarame’s unscrupulous abuse of power that happened behind doors. It was frustrating for Akira to see Yusuke being so deeply entrenched in denial about his (former) mentor’s emotionally abusive chronic behavior. Yes, there were certainly doubts that Yusuke had about his mentor’s behavior, but he was a bit different from Kamoshida’s victims because they were at the very least cognizant what was happening to them was wrong, they just never dared to verbally acknowledge it. Maybe denial serves multiple functions, multiple layers. Maybe there was something buried under the proverbial iceberg that is Akira’s mind that he’s not addressing. _Who knows, he thought_.

“Akira, look ahead!” Morgana barely unzipped his bag and nudged him toward a Shujin Academy girl who was rather cute, with a waist-length deep-cherry red ponytail tied with a red ribbon. Yoshizawa-san. 

There was a middle-aged man in office attire with yellow stains on the collar of his white shirt grabbing Yoshizawa by the arm. “Senpai!” The redheaded girl immediately hid behind Akira’s back looking scared. 

“Is there an issue, sir,” challenged Akira in a calm yet unsettling way. 

“I was only asking directions, but she was so rude and tried ignoring me!”

“Even so, I’m sure asking directions wouldn’t warrant putting your hands all over a high schooler,” countered Akira.

“Tch, bastard,” the man sneered.

“I’d rather be a bastard than a predator.”

“...” The middle-aged man scoffed and spat on the ground before finally walked away into the J-Line.

“Are you all right?”

“Yes, thank you, Senpai… I’m sorry that you were involved.”

“What are you sorry about that? It would be pretty shitty of me if I just stood there.”

“But still, he was being so callous towards you. I don’t know how you were able to remain calm.”

“Ah, it was nothing, I’m used to it by now,” said Akira with a half-smile. 

“Ohh… I’m sorry,” Yoshizawa-san said in a regretful tone. She knew that smile very well. You don’t get that kind of smile from joy. You get it as a reflex towards difficult emotions out of fear of being a burden or disappointment to someone.

“You know, you remind me of someone I know, haha.” 

“I do?”

“Nah, it’s nothing serious. Just know you aren’t a burden for needing help. He was harassing you, and that isn’t something anyone should tolerate.”

“I-I don’t know what to say. But thank you.” 

“No problem! Now, should we head for the cleanup?”

“Oh, yes that’s right!!”

“Let’s go, then,” grinned Akira, oblivious to his newfound charm. 

  
  


-0-

“Akira! Huh—?” Ryuji and Ann were waiting at a secluded area by a tree, puzzled to see Akira walking closely with someone they had never met before, let alone a girl.

“Who is she,” Ryuji asked while digging his hands in his pockets. 

“I don’t know, but she’s so cute,” complimented Ann. 

“She is cute… Wait, does that mean—!” As if on “bullying alert,” the blondes turned their heads to the sudden chatter.

“Looks like ‘miss honor student’ got herself a new boyfriend,” a group of bitter girls gossiped just a mere meter away from Yoshizawa. 

“She doesn’t deserve the special treatment, I honestly don’t understand why the school invested in someone who delivers crap performance.” All of the Phantom Thieves present at that moment zeroed in on Yoshizawa struggling to keep up her smile whilst looking down, clasping her hands tight, and her feet pointing inwards as if to close herself off from the world.

“God, I hate when women tear down other women. It pisses me off,” Ann seethed. 

“Shit,” gasped Ryuji, seeing Ann genuinely pissed off, he could imagine Carmen being summoned behind her.“Why don’t we walk up to Akira?”

“Let’s.” 

With that, Ryuji and Ann joined Akira in backing up Yoshizawa not only because they’re following their leader, but most importantly because they immediately saw themselves in Yoshizawa without exchanging any words at all. 

“Yo,” Ryuji chirped with his boyish smile.

“Oh, I’m sorry, are you Senpai’s friends? I can get going.”

“No, we don’t mind! My name is Ann Takamaki and he’s Ryuji Sakamoto. What’s your name?”

“Oh, my name is Kasumi Yoshizawa. I’m a first-year student here.”

“How did you guys meet?”

“I believe we’ve met during a train ride to Aoyama-Itchome on the first day of this semester,” stated Akira.

“Yes! I remember how I offered my seat to an elderly lady but then a man immediately took the seat and fell asleep. I really didn’t have the confidence to tell him and I guess Senpai picked up on that and asked if he should nudge the guy, haha,” smiled Kasumi. “We’ve come across each other a few times in school, and he somehow manages to help me out every time!”

“That’s my bro Akira for you! He’s helped both of us out when no one else bothered to even talk to us because of false rumors.”

“Yeah, even with Kamoshida gone, the gossiping never really stops. They speak boldly behind our backs, but in the end, they're just cowards,” Ann sneered, intentionally speaking louder so the gossiping girls could hear her (they did).

“I see, so you guys also had to deal with slander thrown at you constantly, too… Normally, it’s not a big deal, but today was rough. You may not realize it, but you talking to me means a lot, especially since we’re kinda strangers…”

“Ah, don’t worry about it, we understand! Just know if you need help, don’t be afraid to come to talk to us, right, Akira,” grinned Ryuji.

“Right.”

“Aww, I think the cleanup event is about to start. But hey, wanna talk after, Yoshizawa-san?”

“Yes, I would love to!”

“Attention everyone! In about 2 minutes, please go join your designated groups. Please come speak to me if you do not know what group you are assigned to. Feel free to ask me any questions. You will all be rewarded with pork miso soup served with vegetables by the end of the day,” announced the student council president over a speakerphone. “All right, everyone, let’s do our best!”

As soon as the cleanup commenced, Akira immediately felt a familiar yet abrupt warm hand on his shoulder, causing him to swiftly turn around.

“Ah, geez! T-Takuto,” squealed Akira in an almost scolding manner.

“Sorry! I didn’t mean to startle you!”

“Are you sure? Because this seems like this is a recurring theme.”

“Now that you mention it, it just might be, haha. Let’s just add that to the plethora of our rituals.”

“Hmph!”

“Aww, don’t be like that. I’m the one in charge of cooking everyone pork miso soup, you know!”

“...Sooo?”

“Sooo, I want you to help me out!”

“I mean sure, but why me?”

“Uh, to be frank, the school would like for me to watch over you, but regardless, I would like to hang out with you… Also, I seriously need your help, haha.”

“All right, I could do that. Where do we begin?”  
“Really?! Well, I’ll walk you to the makeshift kitchen I just set up. I’m actually pretty proud of it!”

Takuto and Akira took a mini stroll just a few minutes away from the morning checkpoint. It was still enough distance to make it feel like an actual park, rather than feeling like no one left the school building. The people do indeed make the environment. You can feel more lonely in a crowd of people than you do with just one person who could make your day. That was Takuto for Akira at that moment.

“Wow, I was wondering how you would set up an outdoor kitchen. It didn’t occur to me you would make an open fire. I’m honestly impressed, Takuto!”

“Thank you! I’m honestly impressed with myself, too, haha. Although I just followed the instructions. Oh yeah, let me get our aprons!”

“Um, okay.” 

Takuto unzipped a large duffle bag containing an arsenal of assorted colorful knives strapped in an organizer, a stash of grounded spices, and several aprons with different patterns. I guess you couldn’t be too overprepared, thought Akira. 

“Which apron would you like?”

“Pick one for me.”

“Okay! Hmm… Let’s see...” Takuto pulled out a soft yellow apron with linen trims, and patchwork of a white kitty’s face on it. “Tada!”

“I knew you were going to give me something like this. I guess I don’t have a choice,” Akira conceded and indulged in Takuto’s penchant for cute things.

“Technically, you did have a choice. You chose to let me pick one for you!”

“Fine, I will wear it proudly and show it off.”

As promised, Akira fashioned his apron around his waist into a neat bow before working on preparing the vegetable ingredients. 

“Hey, Akira? Could you peel the root vegetables for me and I’ll cut them? It will be like a little assembly line to get things done faster.”

“Just don’t cut yourself, hehe.”

“Listen, I might be a klutz, but I have you know, I'm a long time home cook and my knife skills are pretty sharp, badum tsss” Takuto declared with his arms crossed.

“Wow, okay,” Akira smirked. 

Akira, having handled a large knife in combat as well as his experience cooking for LeBlanc, naturally felt that peeling the vegetables instead of cutting them was a little beneath him. However, Takuto’s ability can speak for itself, as he anchors his chef’s knife onto the cutting board, efficiently slicing the carrots into precise orange coins, and dicing the potatoes into symmetrical cubes all under 3 minutes. _Damn, maybe he’d be a good phantom thief. I wonder what his outfit would look like? Probably some mascot like Morgana._

“How about that… Color me impressed,” praised Akira.

“I told you I could do it! Now, we could dedicate all of our time on the fun part! The actual cooking process!”

“I would love to, but, Takuto?”

“Is something wrong, Akira?”

“Your hand...” Akira pointed at a nick on Takuto’s knuckle. 

“Oh crap! I didn’t even notice! Must have gotten carried away,” Takuto chuckled nervously. 

Akira dug through the Morgana bag, grabbing a couple cotton buds, isopropyl alcohol, and some bandages. 

“Give me your hand.”

“O-Oh. Okay…”

“This might sting a little.” Akira held Takuto’s hand on his palm and lightly wet a cotton bud with the alcohol and gently dabbed it on the superficial wound before wounding a bandage over the finger. 

“T-Thank you, Akira,” Takuto sobbed in an exaggerated way.

“You’re welcome, dear!”

“Sigh, when you say it like that, you’re making it seem like I’m just a man-child living in my mom’s basement.”

“Nah. Even if you were, that looks better than being a criminal 17 year old living in someone’s attic because my parents want nothing to do with me. I am in no place to judge.”

“Well, you made your point there…” Takuto looked at Akira apologetically, processing how to approach in a sensitive way.

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to be a downer, haha.”

“No, you’re not a downer! Although I do wonder how much of that was sincerely in dark humor, which is a viable coping mechanism may I add! Regardless, feel free to tell me whatever you want, it doesn’t have to be anything too serious, although you are most certainly welcome to!”

“...Okay, well there is something really important I want to tell you…”

“Sure!”

“...”

“Hmm?” Takuto squinted his eyes and pushed his glasses up, looking concerned.

“...We should start actually cooking.”

“O-Oh! Yes! Yes, yes, you’re right!” Takuto shuffled through towards the large steel pot and placed it over a moderately sized open fire before pouring just enough sesame oil to coat the bottom of the pot. 

“Akira, come here for a second.”

“What’s up?” Akira knelt down besides Takuto who handed him a large wooden spoon. “Wow, that sesame oil has a nice smoky scent.”

“Oh, we’re just getting started! Let me show you something.” Takuto took out a large sheet of pork belly slices a bit thicker than bacon strips. “Look at this great find! I bought this yesterday from the 777 store at Shibuya and the butcher there gave me this for 2000 yen! It’s 50% fat which is perfect!”

“Why do we need a lot of fat? Haven’t we already used enough oil?”

“Haha, I mean, you’re not wrong. There are a lot of saturated fats, which are unhealthy, but they taste so good! You still need the lean meat so you can actually bite onto something. Remember, fat equals flavor. Now, I am going to add the pork and I need you to sauté it till it’s brown.”

“Got it.” 

It only took a couple minutes for the meat to fully cook, which prompted Takuto to take it with a pair of tongs, plated it, and brought it close to Akira’s mouth with wooden chopsticks. “Have a bite.”

“Uh, okay?” Akira ate the pork from Takuto’s chopsticks much like a child being spoon fed by a parent, and he can confirm that fat does indeed have an equal flavor that you just can’t get from plant-derived oils.

“Sooo, what do you think,” Takuto asked with his brown puppy-eyes.

“Delicious.”

“Isn’t it?! Just imagine how great this miso soup will be. Let’s get this done!”

“You really love cooking,” Akira giggled as he poured in the onions to sweat them before adding the roots and the greens. 

“You seem to enjoy it, too,” smiled Takuto.

“It’s more fun when working together than doing it alone, I suppose.”

“Very true. I’m also happy to make something for others to eat instead of me all the time. I really need to get out of the habit of eating instant ramen so often.”

“Give me some of your ramen stash then,” ribbed Akira with a smirk on his face.

“Really?! That’s a great idea!”

“I-I wasn’t being serious,” Akira mumbled.

“I’ll bring some tomorrow! Hope you like spicy food!”

“For someone with a doctorate, you can be a bit airheaded at times.”

“Huh?”

“Ha, exactly. Well, let’s just finish up and add the dashi and miso paste.”

“Right! I am glad you’re here, you help keep me on track.” 

As mature as Akira was, he wasn’t immune to being so sensitive to the triggers of infatuations like any normal teenager. The “normal” Akira would never be visibly flustered by sudden emotions. Yet, simply stirring a pot of miso soup for a mandatory school event made him nervous about being nervous. It’s all because of “that” man. The heat coming from the open fire was not helping the situation by making his sensitive fair skin flush.

“Akira?”

“W-What,” Akira stammered. 

“Ooh, jumpy there! You could leave the pot alone now. The fire isn’t so strong, which is perfect timing to let it simmer. . We have a little over an hour until everyone lines up for our food. Why don’t you rest first? I’ll just add the miso paste last and we’re done!”

Takuto ladled the pork miso soup into two bowls, placed them in a tray and brought it over to the park bench for Akira and him to share a meal together. The steam completely fogged up his glasses just taking a few steps towards Akira who grabbed the tray from him as he started to wobble. He weakly covered his face with his hand, fully picturing his cheeky assistant shaking his head with disapproval. Instead, he felt ticklish subtle taps running down on his fingers and found out it was a pair of chopsticks as Akira’s (cute) way of saying “let’s eat.” 

“Oh, I got something good for us!” Takuto turned to his leather messenger bag hanging from the bench and took out a bento box which contained some fluffy rice balls cradled in dried seaweed with a sprinkling of bonito flakes on top. “It’s onigiri. It goes well with miso soup. I used to eat a bunch of these from the convenience store when I was in college. It’s actually pretty easy to make after some practice. Anyway, I didn’t know if you like seafood or not so I made a plain one just in case.”

“I am not a picky eater, I’d eat anything so thank you… Mom,” Akira snickered. 

“Haha, sometimes you act more like the mom.”

“Really? I’ve never considered myself a switch.”

“Wait, what?”

“If you know, you know. If you don’t, you don’t. All I know is that I want to stuff my face with those rice balls!” 

“Yes! Please, take some!”

 _He’s just an innocent puppy, I swear,_ Akira thought. 

“Let’s dig in!”

The boys brought their paper bowls to their lips as there was no other proper way to enjoy their meal that they worked so hard on. A tiny sip was packed by the umami flavors you’d expect from miso yet has a surprising amount of body to it considering how light it is. 

“I must say, this tastes amazing,” Takuto gleamed, you could practically see his warm eyes shine.

“I would have to agree. You really are a great chef, Takuto.”

“Oh c’mon, you’re a great chef, too! I couldn’t have done it without you,” 

“I’m just glad I could help.”

While Akira took his time savoring every bite and sip of the miso bowl, Takuto, albeit didn’t gorge his meal like Ryuji did at the “foodie’s paradise” that was the buffet, still wasted no time to lap up all of the broth like the puppy that he is, all the while not making a single drop of mess.

_Well this is oddly erotic._

  
  


-0-

“You know... I am not used to sitting down and eating with someone else. Growing up, I’d normally just eat instant ramen in my room by myself. I avoid eating at the dining room with my family. All that’s served there is a big fat argument between my mom and dad…”

“Oh, I hope I didn't make you uncomfortable.”

“No, you didn’t make me uncomfortable, it’s all right.” Akira was waving his hands feverishly, nervous about Takuto’s nervousness. “This may sound weird, but the only words that I could conjure from my mind is ‘feeling at home.’ Which is kinda ironic since my actual home has the opposite effect.”

“I don’t think it’s weird. I am saddened though to hear that you felt isolated by your own family. But you’re older now, you get to define what home means to you.”

“What it mean to me?”

“Yeah!”

“Home to me— Home to me is… feeling like I belong.” There was a brief pause in the young man’s voice as he scrambled to put into words about a concept he cannot fully understand. “For me at least, there is a simple joy of being invited to sit down and break bread with somebody. It makes me feel... whole. Ahh, I dunno, it probably sounds stupid, haha,” Akira spilled whilst scratching his head as if to scratch what he’d just said, like a elementary student would when they tried using pen for the first time.

“Akira, it doesn’t sound stupid… I think what you were saying was beautiful, if not a bit poignant. The fact that you have the heightened capacity to appreciate the little things in life in spite of your childhood struggles is an invaluable strength in and of itself.”

“Well, I never looked into it that deeply,” Akira chuckled solemnly twiddled with his chopsticks. “I know the ‘right’ thing to do is to try to acknowledge the strengths I’ve built in response to struggles, and that I wouldn’t be who I am without said struggles. But I can’t help but feel robbed in some way, robbed of my own agency. It gets so exhausting to doubt every sliver of positive emotions I have. To doubt if they’re even mind, It’s not a question of whether or not I could feel happy, I know I can, or at least I think... It’s more like I am conflicted if I am even allowed to feel happy…”

“Akira…” Takuto, unsure of how to adequately comfort Akira through words, placed his palm over the younger man’s shoulder, then gently ran his hand down the length of his arm until he reached his hand. Akira’s hand initially recoiled but quickly reciprocated by releasing tension. 

“Do you think I’m allowed to be happy,” Akira asked in an almost desperate anticipation, a complete change of air compared to his typical rationally-minded and composed presentation. 

“Of course you are allowed to be happy! You deserve to be happy. You deserve the world, Akira. I don’t know everything about your past, but I am heartbroken knowing the kind of messages you’ve heard from your own caregivers led you feeling better deprived of a fundamental human emotion. Akira, if there is one thing you should take away from this, know that you do not need anyone’s permission to feel what you need to feel. It has to come from you and only you. Nobody else, okay?”

“Not even Dr. Maruki?” Akira had to be a bit playful. 

“No, not even Dr. Maruki. Although, if it were up to him, I’m sure he just wants you to be happy,” Takuto cooed as he pats the young one’s head. 

“Okay,” Akira purred. Why does he always do that? I mean, not that I mind… “I don’t think I have ever confided in anyone like that. Thank you.”

“Well, I am glad you felt comfortable with me being your first!”

“D-Don’t say it like that!” Akira crossed his arms over his shoulders, naked to Takuto’s unintentional dirty jokes. I think this is how he gets laid, although he would think the other person was the initiator...

“What do you mean?”

“Uhh, you can be such an airhead…”

-0-

After the school cleanup event began to wrap up, the group leaders lined up to retrieve their bowls, as well as several female students who were vying for Takuto’s attention while Akira just stood there in the metaphorical shadows like he didn’t exist to these girls, which was fine because it was par for the course as the leader of the Phantom Thieves. This was until he saw Kasumi in the background gracefully leapt and gracefully grabbed a red balloon for this little girl in 3 seconds or less. How does no one else notice this? Kasumi caught his eye and waved to which he had done the same.

“Ak—, I mean Kurusu-kun, I could take care of the rest. You should go hangout with your friends.”

“Y-You sure?”

“Yeah!” Takuto gripped the younger one’s shoulder and leaned in. “If you ever want to talk just text me, okay?”

“Okay, thank you, Takuto,” Akira said, deliberately looking away. 

“Anytime,” the older man said reassuringly. 

“Akiraaa!” Ryuji and Ann rushed up behind Kasumi, and joined Akira.

“Hey, where were you, I didn’t see you with everyone else” Ann wondered with her hand hip and a bit out of breath, keeping up at Ryuji’s pace.

“I think Senpai was helping out Dr. Maruki with the meals,” Kasumi informed with her sweet smile.

“Haha, yeah...”

“Wait, for real? What is he like,” asked Ryuji.

“Yeah, I wanna know, too. I know you, Ryuji and I have mandatory counseling sessions.”

“Oh shit, I forgot about that!”  
“Umm…” Akira looked back at the counselor looking like a way too happy lunch lady serving good food instead of slop. “...He’s someone I never thought I needed.”

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  



	7. Circadian Rhythm (Part 1)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is part one of "Circadian Rhythm." I chose to split "Circadian Rhythm" into two parts because it was getting too long to reasonably fit into one chapter or at least too long for how this fanfic seems to be structured.  
> I hope you like me including Shibusawa! I was pretty interested in him because he seems to be a significant person to Maruki but didn't have a significant part in the game itself (for obvious reasons). So now, he will be making more appearances in this fanfic, and so naturally, his personal life is a subplot as well. He's also kinda hot, so there's that LOL.   
> I also would like to apologize for the lack of explicit romance and sexual content (smut). Believe me, there WILL be a lot of that sexy shit in this fanfic, don't worry. I just feel the characters need more development for that to feel "right," haha.

“ _Pi-pi-pi-pi-pi-pi!_ ” The muffled sound of Takuto’s cell phone went off. 

“ _Pi-pi-pi-pi-pi-pi!”_ His cell phone went off, again and again, its sound growing increasingly louder by the second with each vibration pulsing back and forth from the smooth wooden desk to Takuto’s head. 

_I need to turn off my phone_ , Takuto’s consciousness registered, but his body was unable to comply, he was paralyzed. It was like his internal circuits were jammed, locked from his command. He could feel his whole weight pressing deeper against his lungs, his screams for help trapped in his own throat. His vision began to give up on him, brief flashes of blood

 _Let. Me. Out._ Takuto attempts to force his words out. 

_Let. Me. Out. Let. Me. Out. Let. Me. Out._ He concentrated, pushing for more and more.

 _Let. Me. Out. Let. Me. Out. Let. Me…_

“OUT!!!” Takuto instantaneously rose from his computer chair and leaned his palms tight on his desk to ground himself while he caught his breath. “It happened, again,” he lamented, respiring unevenly in cold sweats.

“Maruki, are you all right?” It was a knocking on the door.

“S-Shibuwasa?” 

“Yeah, I tried contacting you, man.”

“R-right, I’m-I’m coming right now,” Takuto apologized mid-way through opening the door. 

“Hey, man, what happened to you? I tried calling you several times but you never picked up. I was really worried about you!”

“Yes, I’m so sorry, Shibusawa... I, uh…” _Slow down, ground yourself._ This week was a heavy caseload so I was burnt out, haha…” Takuto made a concerted effort to Shibusawa’s nose to make him look like making eye contact without actually doing so.

“Ah, that’s right you started working as a school counselor the past couple of months. Explains why you are still wearing all of _that_.” Shibusawa eyed Takuto’s down, noticing his oxford blue shirt was all wrinkled, a large divet of cloth gathered by his knee, and his cheek had a reddish print from sleeping on the desk like a wooden pillow. 

“Rough week?”

“Haha yeah… Uhh, please take a seat,” Takuto pointed to his plush sofa to divert the attention away from himself. “Would you like something to drink?”

“Oh, that reminds me, I got us something.”

Shibusawa kicked his shoes off to the side and pulled out a paper bag that read “Big Bang Burger” out of his duffel. “Here some french fries got them in large because why not; one regular moon burger for me and one burger without mayo for you because you hate mayo; star-shaped mild chicken nuggets; and of course I got some drinks, cola for me and two 100% organic apple juice boxes just for you!”

“Oh geez Shibusawa, thank you so much! Wow.” Wow indeed it is to see a grown adult light up at the sight of something you’d get from the kid’s menu.

“And… Here is this free toy! It’s a little ufo. Cute, right,” For his amusement, Shibusawa handed over the toy to Takuto who wasted no time to fiddle with it. 

“Ha, you know me so well.”

“Well duh, we've known each other since elementary school. Damn, how long was that?”

“We met during our first year so that’s about 20 years now.”  
“Shit, a whole two decades. How much our lives have changed. Things were simpler back then.”

“Yeah, they were. I remember wanting to grow up faster, finish college, get a job, and have an apartment of my own. Now that I am older and I have accomplished all those things, I would’ve scolded my younger self and tell him to stop being so serious and enjoy being a kid while I still can,” Takuto chuckled and shook his head.

“See, that’s what I’ve been telling you all the time growing up! You were so anal about having perfect grades. You legit got so upset when you scored lower than 95% like people give a shit about what you did in middle school,” Shibusawa taunted and teasingly pushed on the overachiever’s arm.

“Haha, yeah, I was quite stubborn back then. You know, now that you put it that way, I don’t know why I cared so much. I don’t see myself as a very competitive person, even back then. I think it’s because I became so dependent on the praise I would receive from people. It’s embarrassing to say out loud, but the praise and acknowledgment was a huge incentive for me to continue this unrealistic expectation of myself.”

“Oof, that makes a lot of sense, honestly.”

“You think so,” Takuto asked, seeking from another’s confirmation of his self-assessment.

“Correct me if I am wrong, but knowing your parents and how strict they were, makes sense why you felt like you needed to constantly seek approval of others elsewhere. My parents were also like that, but you know me, I’m reverse psychology’s bitch; the more they told me not to do something, the more I wanted to do it! Like how they told me not to go to after-school clubs because letting kids have their fun is a crime I guess. If I hadn’t rebelled against my parents, we might not have the chance to be friends.”

“Geez, you might be right... Wait, what club were we in elementary school?”

“...We were technically part of the literature club, although all we really did was play with Hanafuda cards.”

“Haha, I don’t know if that sounds the coolest, most rebel-like thing I’ve heard but those were some fun times.” 

“They were, weren’t they,” Shibusawa reminisced along with his long time buddy.

Anyway, we should eat our food before it gets cold.” 

“Oooh, can you pass me the chicken nuggets, please?”

“What’s the magic word,” Shibusawa sang with a grin on his face.

“Huh? I already said please, though.”

“It’s the other word.”

“...Are you saying what I think you are saying?”

“I dunno, you tell me.”

Maruki took in a deep breath. “...Please, Daddy.”

“Good boy.”

“I swear to God Shibusawa, I’m gonna kill you,” Takuto threatened with a pout.

“Worth it,” exclaimed ‘Daddy’ as he slapped his knee. 

-0-

“Sooo, my girlfriend dumped me yesterday,” Shibusawa stated matter-of-factly.

“Wait, what?! Weren’t you two engaged,” Takuto gasped. 

“Yeah, she broke off the engagement. She gave me a two-week notice to get my things and go.”

“Shit… Just why so sudden?”

“Eh, I saw it coming one way or another. We were different people from when we started dating eight years ago. Change is an inevitable but very necessary part of growing up. Even still, change is scary, for anyone honestly. And when you’re in a relationship with somebody, you begin to worry about scaring the other person. You worry if you and your partner can be on the same page because you really want it to fucking work out, to fucking last. But sometimes it just doesn’t.”

“Geez… even if you saw it coming, breakups aren’t exactly the easiest to get over, especially when you’ve been together for so long. I commend you for being able to stay calm,” comforted Takuto, a compassionate hand resting on his friend’s shoulder.

“Oh no, don’t get me wrong, I feel dead inside like anyone would right after being dumped, haha. The funny thing is, I have been thinking of breaking up with her, she just beat me to it. Yet, I still feel gutted over it. The irony of it all,” Shibusawa wistfully chuckled. 

“When was the first time you thought about ending it? The relationship, I mean?”

“It’s been half a year now. I began to have a sinking feeling that things might not work out. As you know, I was promoted last year to ‘supervisor’ for the editing team at the publishing firm. The pay was nice, actually, it was really good. But I wasn’t prepared for how demanding this job is o of both my time and energy. After going back and forth between mentoring new editors, going over hundreds of pages a day, and on top of all that, I have to fill in vacant roles because our firm is so understaffed. By the time I come home, it’s late and I’m beyond exhausted. Thankfully by the holidays, my boss gave me a two-week vacation that I could spend with my girlfriend… Or, so I thought.”

“W-What happened. Sorry if I keep pestering you questions.”

“Nah, I appreciate it. It lets me know you’re actually listening to what I have to say.” Shibusawa shifted to the side and grabbed onto a pillow to lean his elbow on. 

“Good, I’m glad.” Shibusawa’s counselor friend mirrored him, but instead of resting his elbow onto the pillow, he grabbed it with two arms and plopped his head straight into the fluffy center. Shibusawa couldn’t help but grin. 

“Haha… Well, out of the blue, she texted me that she’s spending the holidays with her parents. I mean, she is well within her right to do so, but I cannot deny I panicked. As soon as she came home, I got a little clingy trying to get her to talk to me, communicate with me what’s wrong and what I can do to make it better. Man, I even ask my boss. She just always says ‘nothing’, and walks away. It was like this every day for the past six months.” Shibusawa’s chest rose and held it there whilst recalling painful memories before the mood crashed too hard on him or his friend.” 

“Last night, I lost my cool and asked one too many ‘what’s wrongs,’ and then finally she shared all of her feelings of how much I fucked up. Too bad it happened during an argument.” Shibusawa made a long sigh and slouched with his head bent over the edge of the couch, staring at the ceiling. “‘There’s no point in being together anymore.’ That was the last thing she said to me.”

“Agh, that was a brutal night. It stings just hearing it. I’m sorry you had to go through that.” 

“I make excuses for myself, I should have made more effort to spend time with her, but I didn’t and this is the price of that.” 

“Hey now, you don’t need to shoulder all the blame, that wouldn’t be fair. From the sounds of it, she could certainly work on her communication skills. Nobody could be expected to 100% know what is going on in someone’s head unless the other person honestly disclosed their feelings. Easier said than done, I know.” 

“Ha, it’s already hard to say as it is. It’s difficult for people to admit that there is something they could improve on.”

“I understand there is undue pressure looming over our heads to always get things right every time, feeling like there is very little room for error. I know you may not feel like it when I say this, but you’ve truly done the best that you can. The fact that she was unable to see that wasn’t something you could control. ”

“Thanks, Maruki for your insight. It was quite comforting to hear actually. Of course, I still can’t help but feel guilty. In an odd sorta way, I am kinda glad she was the one to initiate the breakup. l never had the balls to do it myself, for several reasons. For one thing, I couldn’t live knowing I went down on one knee and asked for a girl’s hand in marriage just to be like ‘peace out, yo’ and leave her,” Shibusawa comically groaned, peace signing with both hands.

“Hahaha, it would be pretty hilarious though! Like an anime character!”

“Meh, I basically am an anime character. I would be that indecisive, comic relief best friend with a random depressing story used as a filler episode.”

“That was oddly specific,” Takuto giggled. “I’m glad you’re able to make light of the situation. Not everyone can do that.”

“I’m sure the majority of people can, it’s just that you are too serious.” Shibusawa spontaneously pinched his cheeks.

“Oww! S-Shibusawa!”

“Sorry, my Maruki complex is flaring up.”

“Ooofff course,” Takuto muttered.

“Um, uh… soooo—”

“Yes, you could stay.”

“Really?!”

“Yeah, I’m not heartless! Stay as long as you need to.”

“You’re the best!” 

Maruki was suddenly attacked by a tight hug. “Sh-Shibu-sa-wa! I can’t… breathe!”

  
  


-0-

**_Akira: Hey, Takuto_ **

_Hmm?_ Takuto pulled his phone that vibrated in his pocket. _Oh, he texted me!_

**_Takuto: Hi! How’s your Sunday?_ **

**_Akira: I am actually working at Shibuya Underground Mall._ **

**_Takuto: Oh, which shop if you don’t mind me asking?_ **

**_Akira: Haha, it’s the flower shop, nothing special._ **

**_Takuto: Aww, I think botany is pretty cool! Might just be the science major in me_ **

**_Akira: No, I think you’re just weird :p_ **

**_Takuto: Hey, don’t be rude ;_;_ **

**_Akira: I didn’t say it was a bad thing! It’s one of the things that I like about you ^_^_ **

_Who gave this boy permission to be this cute?!_

“Hey, I’m heading out to do some shopping, I’m just gonna use the bathroom” 

“Have fun!” The dorky guy’s eyes are still glued to his screen without looking away once to face Shibusawa.

“...”

“...Something wrong?” Although he wasn’t facing his friend, he could sense that he was being stared at intently which instinctively pulled his attention. It’s the sort of thing that primarily happens between long term “homies,” if you will.

“Can you come with me, please,” Shibusawa whined.

“Why, is there something you need me to do?”

“Yeah, when I am telling you that I’m ‘heading out,’ it’s your cue to come with. C’mon now, you ain’t gonna leave me all alone, will ya?”

“Okay, okay, okay! You could have said so,” Takuto relented. “Let me change into some decent clothes.”

Takuto didn’t exactly find jogging pants to be the most flattering, so he opted for a safe combination of slim-fit terracotta-colored pants that he cuffed by the ankles, and a navy blue henley rolled up over the elbows. Of course, it wouldn’t be Takuto without some funky socks with cats printed on them. 

“All right, I’m ready, just need to put on some shoes.”

“You should wear those,” Shibusawa directed with his head towards a pair of flat-top canvas shoes accented with a tan trim that pairs well with his pants. 

“You have a good eye.”

“Well yeah, I am not the one who needs glasses,” Shibusawa snickered.

It’s “True,” Maruki approved with a grin.

“C’mon, let’s get to the car.”

“You brought your car,” Takuto gasped. 

“Yeah, hurry up and I might just let you drive it,” Shibusawa winked and gently pushed Takuto towards the door who then proceeded to skip downstairs. _How can a man be simultaneously wise yet so… Whatever “that” is._

After essentially chasing down Takuto to the parking lot, they both made it to Shibusawa’s car which appeared to be a deep red, compact four-seater beetle with a satin finish. 

“Whoa! I don't know much about cars, but I have to say it’s strangely nostalgic,” Takuto commented happily.

“Ah, well it is the iconic beetle. All of us have seen some version of this car in many films throughout the second half of the 21st century.”

“Was it expensive?”

“No, not really. The maintenance can be a bit of a pain, but I suppose it could be much worse. Anyway, open your hands,” prompted Shibusawa. He had carefully placed them into Takuto’s palm since he was well aware of how clumsy he could be. However, does trust Takuto with his car because he becomes remarkably efficient once he realizes there is someone that depends on him. A natural people pleaser, and it shows judging by how smoothly he drives the car at an even pace. Still, “Are you just gonna take off without asking where to go.”

“Oh crap, sorry! I was… Kinda going to Shibuya center on autopilot, haha.

“Classic Takuto,” Shibusawa shooked his head. 

“But… It might be for the best considering there are a lot of places to shop there… Like the underground mall.”

“T-the underground mall? I mean, yeah, the underground mall!”

 _This guy is so easy to read. Wonder who this Akira chick is,_ Shibusawa thought as he noticed text messages from Akira displayed on Takuto’s phone sitting in the front seat cup holder. 

  
  


-0-

“I could see why you don’t own a car,” Shibusawa muttered, overlooking the rush-hour traffic

“Haha, yeah. Public transportation here is pretty accessible. Granted, it can feel very congested which in my opinion, is more uncomfortable compared to being stuck in traffic.”

“At least a congested subway would continue to move. Doesn’t help that people keep blaring their car horn as if it would make a difference. I am becoming more and more convinced that the car horn was invented specifically for people to let their frustrations out.”

“You might be right,” Takuto laughed. “The daily grind of a typical Tokyo man is not easy stuff.”

“Still no excuse to be an asshole, man. Not our fault your boss went on a vacation to Bora Bora while you’re smothered by unending demands and you’re roommates with your wife.”

“God, that was… A little weird and harsh at the same time.”

“Ehhh, I’m just bitter.”

“Because of what happened yesterday?”

“No, it’s because I haven’t been getting laid since last year!” Shibusawa’s passionate cry damn near flew Takuto off the driver’s seat by accidentally pressing on the brakes both mentally and physically

“Gyahh,” Takuto let out a startled noise.

“Woah, you good?” 

“Yeahhh, I was taken aback by your candor. It’s fine though you can continue, haha…”

“Hey listen, it’s not like I have this insatiable sexual appetite, but a man got his needs, okay?”

“U-um, couldn’t you, uhh… Take care of it on your own?”

“Jerking off doesn’t compare to the real thing, Maruki.”

“... No, I supposed it doesn’t.”

“What about you,” inquired Shibusawa, slouching in his seat. 

“Huh?!” 

“Don’t be embarrassed. I’m the only one here.”

“You’re exactly why I feel embarrassed. I never know what you’re scheming.”

“Wow, how cold.” 

“I don’t really know what to say. I haven’t done anything remotely encroaching on sex, of any kind, for over three years now. I do have those kinds of desires, I just… I just…”

“Maruki?” 

“I want to be physically intimate with someone I really care about, and they care about me. I want love, and as corny as it sounds, I want to make love, too. But whenever I imagine that for myself, there’s this shadow of fear lurking in my periphery warning me the pain of losing my favorite person all over again.” _I guess it’s better than flashbacks, but Shibusawa doesn’t need to know the extent of it._

“Fuck, I’m sorry man. I was being silly. I didn’t mean to bring any negative emotions or memories.”

“No, don’t be sorry! You shared your grievances, it was only fair I shared mine.”

“Yeah, my grievances were my ‘tiny monkey brain being horny,’ and yours were your past trauma staining your lovemaking life. Yes, very comparable.”

“Hahahaha, true... But who says my ‘tiny monkey brain isn’t part of my motivation? I’m just more civilized. “

“More like sterilized,” Shibusawa retorted.

“Geez, why can’t I win? Seems like everyone I know got a knack for the off the cuff banter except

me.”

“It’s because you are so easy to tease, Ma-ru-ki-chan. Thank you for your service, taxi driver,” flirted Shibusawa as he salaciously slid a handful of cash into Maruki’s pants’ pocket. 

“Wait, what is this for?”

“The parking fee. Imma head out.”

“But we’re nearly there, it’s only a few blocks away.”

“Meh, I don’t wanna stay here in traffic, I could get to the mall faster by walking than staying here. Besides, you have much more important business to attend to than shopping with your buddy.”

“I-I don’t understand what you are trying to say. What about your car?”

“Just check your phone for my text messages, m’kay? Talk to you later!” Shibusawa closed the car door with that cryptic message knowing full well how Takuto would respond to his schemes.

 _Geez, I could never tell what Shibu is up to. Just how much money did he give me? I don’t recall parking to be all that expensive._ The clueless counselor emptied his pocket and then came out a shocking sum of cash: “50,000 yen?!” Takuto sputtered, temporarily forgot he was a car and attempted to stand up only to be forced back down by his seat belt. 

“I gotta call Shibusawa about this. There’s no way he went to give me THIS much!”

Upon picking up his phone, he had a stream of messages from Akira starting from 30 minutes ago.

_Shit, I didn’t know he messaged me this much! Let me quickly read what he said. Wait, hold on, did-did Shibusawa reply to all of them?!_

**_Akira: Hey are you free? I am wrapping up at work._ **

**_Takuto: Yeah, what’s up? Wanna hang out?_ **

**_Akira: Really? Uh, what time is good for you?_ **

**_Takuto: I’m actually really close to Shibuya Station. How about 5:30 pm?_ **

**_Akira: Sounds good. How about we just meet by the Teikyu Building, near the Ginza Line?_ **

**_Takuto: Works for me! See you in an hour?_ **

**_Akira: See you in an hour._ **

**_I can’t wait!_ **

  
  


**_Takuto: Me too ;)_ **

**“** What’s with the winky face?!” 

_Honk! Honk!_ “Yo, what’s the holdup,” the driver behind Takuto growled.

“Oh, I’m so sorry!” _I have to get out here soon, the meetup is in less than 25 minutes!_

Takuto’s natural tendency to avoid confrontation served him well this time as he instinctively took the nearest turn possible, and after a brief cruise in local neighborhoods, he was able to find available parking spaces that were doubly cheaper than it would be at a designated parking lot. As soon as he was able to lock the car, he hopped out and immediately “jog-walked” his way to the station. 

_That worked in my favor. I still have a good 10 minutes to go. But I bet if I make a dash for it, I can get there faster!_

Channeling ‘late-for-school-with-bread-in-mouth protagonist energy,’ he took a lunge and dashed screaming “kyaaahhh,” in broad daylight. 

_Geez, this is the most I have ever moved since my high school days. And to top it all off, I know my heart is racing for more reasons than some aerobics. Just what is Shibusawa trying to pull?! No, I should really be asking myself that, because I’m willing to go along with it! No, it’s not like I could say no to Akira, if it’s okay with him, it’s okay with me, right? Yeah… I could never do that to him!_

“Akira, I’m comin— oufgh!” As determined and passionate as Takuto is, his lack of coordination makes him fall face flat to earth, literally. 

“Takuto?!”Akira hurriedly ran towards the faceplant and helped him to his feet. _He looks crushed like his everyday apple juice box, 100% organically awkward_ , thought Akira.

“Oh, hi, Akira… H-How are you,” stumbled the brown-haired man, dusting the rubble off his chest and put his glasses back on.

“Haha, I should be asking you that.” Akira took a handkerchief and gently patted some of the sweat off of Takuto’s slightly glistening forehead and neck.

“Thank you.” Takuto lightly tapped over Akira’s hand to show he was appreciative while still a little out of breath. As innocent as his intentions were, the soft graze of his fingers against the younger man’s sensitive skin triggered goosebumps across his whole arm. _How does he do that?!_

“Why were you running so fast?”

“Well, I wanted to get here as soon as I could,” Takuto clarified, still catching his breath.

“Let’s, uh, cool off and get some drinks.”

“Yes that would be nice.”

“You know you are 25 minutes early, right? You’d just be fine if you walked,” Akira giggled with his fist to his mouth.

“Wow, really? I was under the impression that I was running late! At least I can get some extra cardio, haha. Besides, I was technically the one that scheduled a time to meet. It would be pretty rude if I was late, no?”

“Even if you were a little late, I’m happy we could spend time together,” smiled Akira looking up to the taller man, who then softly combed his black locks with his finger and returned a warm smile. 

_I’m happy we could spend time together, too… Akira._

  
  


****

  
  
  
  


  
  



	8. Circadian Rhythm (Part 2)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy New Year! 2020 could yeet itself out of here! Let's hope this year is at the very least slightly better than the last. 
> 
> I had lots of fun writing this chapter, I hope you enjoy part 2 of Circadian Rhythm. There's a chance that I might break up chapters into multiple parts in the future so I hope that doesn't confuse anyone!

“Ahh, it’s nice and cool here.” Takuto sank into the cooler temperature of the well air-conditioned Shibuya diner. The warmly-colored lighting fixtures, considerable space between customers, and the comfortable-as-ever cushioned booths never fail to leave a customer relaxed even when it’s full of people. “I should come here more often. I like it here.”

“It’s nice here. I come here almost every day after school if I need to study. Especially when it rains. I feel like I retain knowledge better when it rains,” Akira remarked.

“Haha, it seems like it worked out. I noticed you were one of the top 10 ranked students for the mid-semester exams. After we eat something, want to go somewhere to celebrate?”

“Well, I…” Akira shifted in his seat and pulled out his phone to show to warm-puppy-eyes across from him. “Will you come to the Skytree tower with me?”

“Skytree Tower,” Takuto gasped. 

“Do you not want to go?”

“No, no it’s that all! I wouldn’t have guessed you would already have tickets to something as pricey as the Skytree, the combo ticket no less.”

“Well, I got paid extra yesterday at both of my jobs yesterday for working overtime. I decided to treat myself.”

“And your idea of treating yourself is by spending time with dorky old me,” Takuto cooed, putting his elbow on the table and resting his cheek on his palm.

“I couldn’t go alone,” Akira smirked.

“No, we can’t have that.”

“So, I take that as yes?”

“It is absolutely a yes.” Takuto reached out his hand and patted the younger one’s head who responded warmly to it. _I should probably call Shibusawa about this._ “Let me make a quick phone call first and then we will be on our way, okay?”

“Okay.” Akira squirmed a little in his seat after feeling satisfied with the warm acceptance of his invitation to something a bit more special than usual.

“Good.” Takuto stood up from his booth and called Shibusawa as he entered the bathroom.

_“Heyyy, man. How’s Akira?”_

“H-hey! Why, why did you text them?”

_“Oh, c’mon now. I was only doing you a favor. You looked so giddy about this Akira person, I had to initiate.”_

“W-Well… Ugh, anyway! I thought I, uh, you should know that Akira wanted to be somewhere a little outside of Shibuya and I don’t know how long we’ll be there so I am worried about the car situation.”

_“Oh don’t be. I knew this was gonna happen.”_

“What are you saying?”

_“I’m saying, don’t worry about it, Maruki-chan. You need it more than I do, I am just shopping around, and you sir got a date so don’t leave her hanging!”_

“W-Wait—” Shibusawa had hung up the phone. “Of course he would.” He’s right though, I shouldn’t leave Akira waiting.

Takuto quickly washed and dried his hands before walking back to his booth. 

“Sorry about that.” As soon he walked in, a waitress had served frui-tea, this time red-colored and watermelon flavor. 

“I swear, Akira. You are unbelievable,” Takuto teased. 

“Better believe it,” Akira smirked.

“Hey, I thought I was the corny one.”

“Yeah, you’re right. Probably the result of being around you so often.”

“Haha… Just how are you not tired of me yet?”

  
  


-0-

In the end, Takuto decided that it would be wise to take the red beetle for a ride, unsure of how long he will hang out with Akira. At this point in their relationship, seeing each other regularly was a given. They’ve moved beyond the point of keeping it professional the moment they first met. Yet, to Takuto, there was always some level of newness every time he was with Akira. Still, there’s nothing quite like being greeted by two godly statues housed within a crimson structure about 11 or so meters (36 ft). Perhaps what was even more impressive was a giant bright-red lantern that easily dwarfed the statues from its left and right. 

“Is this an entrance,” asked Akira.

“Mhmm. This is the kaminarimon (Thunder Gate),” Takuto stated. “The statue on the left is the God of Thunder, while the one on the right is the God of Wind. The gate itself was originally built in 941 during the Heian period.”

“It looks so pristine for it to be that old.”

“Haha, yeah… Actually, it had been destroyed and reconstructed several times. The Kaminarimon you are seeing now was rebuilt in 1960 by Panasonic.”

“Dang. You sure know everything,” Akira smirked.

“I don’t know everything. What I do know is that some short-word responses may or may not be related to your history finals.” Takuto looked back down at Akira and winked, causing the cheeky boy to gasp.

“Wait, no way! How do you know?”

“Uh, I work at Shujin?”

“Oh, right! ...Can you give me the answers?”

“No way. You may be my favorite, but you’re still my student. I can’t give you the answers.”

“Aww,” Akira exaggeratedly sulked, but quickly turned around, alerted by a warm hand on his \shoulders.

“I’ll buy you fooood,” Takuto sang.

“Snacks?”

“Mhmm! There are lots of great eatery in Asakusa. Get whatever you want. I’m treating you remember?”

“Okayy... Eh, I could probably ace the history section.”

“Good! I’m sure you will.”

The path ahead of Kaminarimon is Nakamise, a street lined with souvenirs, and various foods that are ridiculously cheap for a tourist-heavy area.

“It smells so good around here,” Akira hummed, followed by Takuto deliberately taking a quick whiff of deliciously scented confectionery stands. Notes of chocolate, sweet red bean, and dough. Lots and Lots of dough. 

“Ooh, look! It’s Asakusa’s famous kibi dango!” 

“Kibidango?”

“It’s basically mochi coated in millet flour. It’s quite sweet and a little salty. Would you like to try some?”

“Yeah,” Akira nodded with insistence.

“All right...” Takuto pulled out his wallet to count his money before ordering. “Excuse me, Miss, I would like 4 skewers, please?”

“Sure! Would you like a drink with that?”

“Umm,” Takuto looked back at Akira. “Would you like anything to drink, Akira?”

“N-no, thank you,” Akira flustered.

“No drinks, needed, Miss.”

“Okay, it will be ready in a few minutes!”

“Thank you so much,” said Takuto. 

“Thank you so much,” Akira echoed before they moved away from the line and waited no more than 2 minutes to receive their order.

“It’s good. I never had anything like it,” said Akira. 

“It’s not that hard to make, actually. I should try my hand at it...”

“Do you require my assistance?”

“That would be most helpful, haha. Hmm, the Skytree closes at 9. It’s a quarter to 7 o’clock.”

“I guess we could leave before 7:30.”

Do you want to walk around Asakusa for a bit before we go?” 

“Yeah, that sounds good.” Akira’s eyes wandered past the crowds where the second inner gate was both double in size and in intricacy.

“Past that large gate is Sensoji Temple, the oldest and most renowned temple in Tokyo. It’s a shame we can’t go because it closed two hours ago.”

“We could come back next time, though.”

“Yeah! There is so much to do here, it will be hard to uncover everything,” Takuto beamed.

“Then I suggest we start exploring more now, in thirty minutes or less.”

“Sounds like a plan. Leave it to me!” 

30 minutes may not be enough to fully experience the magic of Asakusa, it would most certainly take the whole day, but there is so much to see and enjoy even within a quick round of sightseeing. The blend of traditional Japanese aesthetics with modern design has an inimitable charm that’s simply priceless, there is no need to spend a dime. It was already evening when Akira and Takuto wandered through the side streets of Asakusa, and while many of the shops were closed, all of their shutters had brightly colored murals of traditional Japanese art, something the two would have not been able to see had they stayed only during the daytime. They may have also not been able to appreciate how the whole district lights up, whether it be from the Sensoji Temple, shop signs, and the izakaya tavern that began to open up with incandescent lights peeking through the curtains. Another gem they found was an enclosed street Nishi Sando that resembled a Japanese painting itself. It was covered by the entire floor is made of natural cypress wood, lanterns strung up above the street by the individual shops, with awnings made with ornamental tiles, selling even more ornate souvenirs of more authentic quality, ranging from wooden sandals to samurai swords.

“I could make good use of this,” Akira grinned mischievously, taking hold of an impressively sized sword. 

“You look surprisingly comfortable with that, it’s a bit concerning,” Takuto chuckled. 

“looks beautiful now that it’s getting dark out.”

“If we head our way now to Tokyo Skytree, I’m sure it would be even more spectacular.”

Akira checked the time on his phone that read 7:20 pm.

“Yeah, we’ve actually spent a little over 30 minutes so we should get going anyway.”

“Oh, that’s fine, Tokyo Skytree is just across the bridge. Traffic should be good by now. Let’s walk back to the car—” The moment he moved his foot, he froze, realizing he was forgetting something. “Where did we park again...”

“... A Lost puppy. Come, follow me.” Akira grasped the lost tall puppy by his wrist, much like last time when they got off the train together and Akira invited him to LeBlanc because he forgot to get off his stop. What made it different this time was that they became a spectacle in front of an audience of humans and gods witnessing a grown man essentially being led by someone considerably smaller than him, with zero resistance. 

“W-wait you remember where it is without a map?” 

“Yup. It’s at a parking lot on Umamichi street near the convenience store. It should only take a couple of minutes to get there.”

“Haha... You probably make a better navigator than a GPS.”

“Morgana is an even better navigator than I am. I learn from him.”

“Haha, I guess I could believe that. He probably got a stronger sense of smell and keener eyes than any average human.”

“I could be your sensei, sensei,” Morgana meowed without getting out of the bag.  
“You do bring Morgana with you everywhere you go.”

“We’re a package deal, you know?”

“I’ll keep that in mind, haha.” 

“Well, he is very independent. He takes strolls when he’s bored but I can always rely on him coming back.”

“Geez, even a cat is better coordinated than I am.”

“I am NOT a cat,” Morgana hissed, finally revealing himself.

“Ah!” Takuto gave out a mild startle.

“He doesn’t like being called a cat,” Akira advised.

“My apologies, Mr. Morgana!”

“Hehehe! Takuto, you’re so easy to tease.”

“Yeah, I’m aware of that much it seems,” Takuto sulked. “Oh, the parking lot is across the street! That didn’t even take 5 minutes. Wow, you are a reliable GPS.”

“Heh. I hope you could rely on me in general.”

“Definitely! But um…”

“Hmm?”

“...You’re kinda crushing my hand a little, haha.”

“Oh, sorry,” flared his fingers away from Takuto’s.”

“It’s okay! I’m just a frail old man!” _Not that I mind holding hands..._

-0-

_Could it be possible to be so relaxed and yet so nervous at the same time?_

Takuto might physically be on the driver’s seat, but Akira is the one that steers the wheel, whether carrying a conversation, setting the mood, and perhaps the course of the relationship. Takuto of course wants to do the same, he wants to do right by Akira, but worries about doing anything that might end up hurting him. On the other hand, complacency isn’t any better just because it’s comfortable. It takes some level of boldness to keep up with Akira, which isn’t difficult because simply being around him encourages those traits in Takuto without Takuto even realizing it. 

“Takuto, look!” Akira pointed to a long narrow vessel that shimmers as it coasts slowly on the river.

“Oh, I actually don’t know too much about it, but I believe it is a restaurant cruise.”

“Is it like in those samurai movies where the nobility sits down on tatami mats and being served fancy foods while they plan to thwart a peasant uprising?”

“Yeah! Minus the overthrowing part. And it’s open to commoners this time, too, haha.”

“That’s really cool.”

“...Would you like for me to take you there someday,” Takuto cautiously asked. 

“You’re kidding,” Akira gasped.

“S-sorry! I just thought you might like it.”

“Might like it? I would love it! But isn’t it really expensive?”

“I don’t mind the price. As long as it makes you happy is what matters most. To me at least.”

“Ugh, even if I didn’t like the idea, how could I ever say no when you say all that sweet stuff?”

“Well, I wasn’t trying to be sweet. I was trying to give you what you deserve,” Takuto maintained with a smile.

“Hmm.” Akira slumped, looking out of his window to conceal the reddish flush that glows against his pale skin. Crossing Kotokoi Bridge only took less than 5 minutes, but sitting with mixed feelings of excitement and confusion, and planning something farther ahead in the future than a weekend made the ride feel so long. 

“We’re here,” announced Takuto.

“Thank God!”

“You seem enthusiastic.”

“W-well I am just so happy we made it. We have about an hour,” deflected Akira.

“An hour? I wonder if we’ll be able to see both the Tembo Deck and the Galleria. Well, there’s only one way to find out.” 

Getting a closer look from the ground up, the Skytree seems to be a never-ending intricate network of metal illuminating a bright cerulean blue. Its exterior already gives a futuristic impression that can hold its own, but it’s nothing compared to the ambience felt indoors. It’s a similar feeling you get when you walk into a minimally lit movie theater during a summer’s night where the cool air immediately surrounds you. It looked remarkably polished, the two began to feel like it, even Takuto who isn’t known to be the most clean cut.

“How high are we going up,” Takuto wondered, looking at the number rising on the LED screen above the elevator door.

“We’re going to the Tembo Deck, which is floor 350, or 350 meters above the ground.”

“You’re giving me the shivers when you phrase it like that,” Takuto whined. Within 30 seconds, the elevator already reached the 350th floor. “We’re here already?! Incredible...“

“Can’t be as incredible as the view! Let’s get a closer look!” Akira ran towards the wide panel of windows to get as close as he could. Due to the crowd, however, part of the view was obstructed, which isn’t quite the experience Akira was looking for.

“It’s around 8, but there are more people than you would expect,” remarked Takuto who wrapped his arm around Akira’s shoulders. “How about we go up to the galleria? I bet we’d have an even better view since it’s so high up.”

“That would be best. There is a really cool shuttle that will take us directly there.”

The aforementioned “shuttle” was quite the label for an elevator, but this shuttle, in particular, has both glass doors and a glass ceiling making the cityscape visible as the two ascend to the galleria.

“Man, it feels like we’re floating above the Earth,” Takuto gasped. Under the same breath, the elevator door opened to a near-empty floor with less than 10 people, 6 of them couples, 3 staff members, and a lone cameraman. Few steps from the shuttle were a constellation of spotted lights that intersect at every corner of the city grid, there’s no telling of where it starts, and where it ends. These lights ebbed and flowed like streams, with no dam insight to keep the heart from being overwhelmed by its impact.

“Now _this_ is incredible! I definitely get why they call this the Skytree. There's no way you could get a view quite like this. I mean look! We were there, at Sensoji Temple. Look at all this vast space all around it,” Akira observed with youthful wide eyes.

“Yes, this was a truly humbling experience. It’s sorta a reminder of how small we really are in the grand scheme of things,” Takuto concurred, resting his arms over the railings with a sobered look.

“Yeah, it’s like we can crush people like ants.”

“Geez, I didn’t mean it like that, Akira!” 

“Haha. In all seriousness, you're right that our lives are pretty insignificant compared to the whole wide world. At the same time, each and every one of us helps expand the very fabric of our world by weaving in the bonds and memories we share. We all objectively matter! At least that’s what I think.” 

“...I love the way you think, Akira.”

“T-Thanks, hehe…” Akira lowered his gaze, thinking over his words carefully. “I would be lying if I said I always thought of the world that way. I am more cynical than I have people believe.”

“You and I are on the same boat. Once you think you figured it out, life throws you a curveball, and you’re left to your own devices to deal with the damages that were more than likely not your fault.”

“I used to resent people who say things like ‘just think positive.’ If only it were that easy, right? It’s essentially rewiring your mind to work opposite to what you’re used to. But lately, I am beginning to believe that it’s possible. If I hadn’t gone through what I have gone through, I wouldn’t be able to appreciate how precious this moment is, and how invaluable it is to share this moment with someone who cares about you.”

Just as Akira began to lift himself off the railing to face Takuto, the taller man wrapped his arms around him snugly, positioning one hand cupping the back of Akira’s head, black locks lacing over warm fingers. Although Akira cannot see Takuto’s face, he could feel Takuto’s face welling upon his shoulders.

“T-Takuto? Did I… Say something wrong?

“No… Far from it. You said all the right things that I didn’t know I needed to hear. I haven’t felt this happy in a very long time.”

“Me too. But we will make many more happy memories, right?”

“Right.” 

“...Could we stay like this till the tower closes?”

“What a coincidence, I was just going to ask you the same thing,” Takuto cooed, tucking Akira close to his chest and under his chin. 

_I am starting to believe it’s possible, too._


	9. Side

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This is a short side chapter, the equivalent to a filler episode.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know this is a lackluster update. I have intended to post an actual chapter, but I realized after almost finishing one, it doesn't fit very well in the current timeline. I'm so sorry :(

_mmm, is it morning already? I feel so warm and comfy, I don’t wanna get up…_

“Takuto…”

_...Maybe I feel a little bit too comfy._

“More head pats…”

_Is someone here? I could have sworn I…_

“Hello?”

“Mmm…”

_No way! Is that?!_

“Akira?!”. 

“Hello, Takuto, hehe.”

_He’s all curled up all over me like a feline._

“Umm, what are you doing, there?”

“What do you mean? I thought you enjoyed cuddling like this?”

“I mean—.”

“Do you not like cuddling with me, Takuto?”

“No! I mean yes! Yes, of course!”

_How could I say no when he looks at me with those eyes! Moe, but also a bit intimidating._

“Puppy-kun, sometimes you need to get out your head and enjoy what’s in front of you.”

_Yeah, but if I enjoy what’s in front of me a bit too much, I might be in serious trouble! Isn’t that my shirt he’s wearing? He looks so… Agh I can’t think of him that way!_

“You’re right, hahaha…”

“Just relax and follow my lead.”

“Um, okay!”

“Try to concentrate on nothing but your breath.”

“Okay... I’m ready.”

“All right, begin to breathe in…”

“...Breathe in.” 

_A breathing exercise? I honestly was never good at it._

_“_ Breathe out…”

“...Breathe out.”

“Good… One more time…”

_This isn’t so bad. It certainly helps that Akira’s voice is sooo smoooth._

“On our last round, hold your breath for 5 seconds…”

_One… Two… Three… Four… Five…_

“And let go.”

_That was nice, actually..._

“Mmmm…”

“So… How did it feel?”

“I mean, I would say I was already feeling pretty good. But that made me even calmer. Thanks to you.”

“I request a reward!”

“What is it?”

“Head pats.”

“Aww, of course.”

_Man, I don’t know what’s going on, but I don’t mind! His hair is so soft and fluffy..._

“You think I am cute?”

“Very, very cute.”

“Really?”

“Mhmm! The cutest!”  
  


“Now you’re just buttering me up.”

“No, I’m not. I meant what I said.”

“I knew you were going to say that, hehe.”

“I’m just telling the truth.”

“Takuto…”

“Y-Yes?”

“Could you kiss me, please?”

“Eh? Wa-wa-whaddya mean?”

“Guess I have to be the one to make a move, hehe.”

“Uhm!”

_Is this… For real?_

“Don’t be shy Takuto, a little more... tongue.”

“..What?”

“Like this...”

_I could taste him…! He’s making me melt into a puddle of goo. I feel lewd, haha._

“Maruki…”

“...Yes?”

“You gotta get up.”

“Why do we have to?”

_I’m cozy though._

“Uhhhh, because we live in a society?”

“True…”

“My dude, you’re gonna be late for work!”

“Oh, crap!”

_Huh, what happened to Akira? Wait, was it just a dream?_

“Man, you’re a deep sleeper.”

“Shibusawa? Oh, so it really was a dream, haha…”

“What were yah even dreamin’ about?”

“N-nothing! Kinda forgot about it anyway?”

_Cannot tell him about something_

“Heh, you say that but, whatever it was, you’re _clearly_ excited from it.”

“Eh?”

_What does he mean—Oh no!_

“Ehhhh!”

“Shaking-my-head, you’re introverted yet so easy to read.”

“I’m so sorry!!!”

  
  


-0-

“I didn’t know what to make so I hope you don’t mind fried rice for breakfast,” said Shibusawa, bringing over a large wok, and plating some for Takuto and himself. 

“Woah, how long did it take you to make all of this,” Takuto excitedly asked, inspecting his meal with his fork.

“Minus the prep, less than 10 minutes. The prep wasn’t so bad though I used whatever we had in the fridge, like leftover rice, frozen mixed vegetables, three eggs, onions, carrots, a handful of garlic, and some scallions to garnish. That’s it.”

“To think something so simple could be so tasty!”

“Well, I added some soy sauce and oyster sauce to give it flavor. It would be pretty boring without it.”

“Hmm, what is this?” Takuto held up what can be best described as a cube of fried ham.

“Spam.”

“Spam?”

“Yes. Spam.”

“...Whatever it is, it tastes good,” Takuto awkwardly chuckled.

“I bet it doesn’t taste good as Akira,” Shibusawa snorted to himself.

“Shibusawa! H-How did you know?!”

“You’re not exactly good at hiding it, Maruki-chan.”

“I’m just going to commit seppuku with this fork.”

“Man, I’m dying to know how this girl looks like. Is she cute? Does she have pretty hair? Does she have the badonkadonk?!”

“Shibusawa! I-I-I… Shower. I shower now. Food good. Thank you,” Takuto spluttered, getting up from the dining table with his whole body burning up from embarrassment. 

“Aww come back Maru! It was all good fun, my bad!”

“It’s fine, it’s fine.”

“Besides, it’s not like anyone would know! I don’t even have any other friends, to begin with, anyway!”

Takuto stood by the door frame of the bathroom and dramatically said, “Akira… Is not a girl.”

“Oh. So, he’s a boy.”

“...Yes.”

“...So what that ass do?” 

Takuto closed the door on that conversation, literally. 


End file.
